


Full Metal Panic Goddess Collision

by iwritethings



Category: Full Metal Panic, ああっ女神さまっ | Ah! Megami-sama! | Oh My Goddess!
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/F, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 14:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 75,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5589160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwritethings/pseuds/iwritethings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Book 2: Sousuke and Urd return to continue their adventures. Sousuke struggles with family obligations while Urd deals with murderous ex-girlfriends from Sousuke's past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ah! A Supposed Goddess Is Lost!?

"If you hit me one more time, I will have you out on your ass faster than you can blink," Yamada Akihiko growled as he stared at the young blue haired woman before him.

"Listen Aki-Kun!" Chidori Kaname barked as she stared defiantly at her new boyfriend. She held a rolled up news paper in her fist with a white knuckle grip. "I saw you looking at that woman at the coffee shop."

"I wasn't looking at any one you crazy bitch." Akihiko threw his hands up in the air with an exasperated sigh as he shook his head. He could feel his blood pressure soaring through the roof as he turned around and began to head for the bedroom to his house. He regretted allowing Kaname to move in.

A swift crack made Akihiko freeze in his tracks. He turned slowly to look at Kaname. She was still standing in a pantomime of her strike. She had struck him with all of her might in the back of the head with the rolled up news paper. She allowed tears to drip from her eyes.

"Sousuke never called me a bitch," she spoke softly before allowing her arms to fall to her sides dejectedly. "He never once disrespected me like that." She began to sob before allowing the paper to fall from her hands to the floor.

Akihiko turned back towards the room and made his way to the closet. He grabbed a single pink briefcase style carry on bag and began yanking her clothing down off of the hangers. He stuffed the bag full of clothing and grabbed one of his own luggage bags. He made his way to the dresser and emptied her drawer into the bag unceremoniously.

"What do you think you are doing?" Kaname shrieked as she watched the handsome teacher manhandle all of her clothing and personal affects. "You can't do this!"

Akihiko didn't reply. He grabbed the two bags and made his way to the front door. He dropped the pink bag from his left hand, reached out and grabbed the handle to the door, turned and tugged. He swung the luggage in his other hand back and forth for a moment before chunking it out the door. He bent at the waist, grabbed the pink luggage, and threw it as well.

Kaname was aghast as she watched Akihiko dispose of her things. He turned and pointed at her and she felt her chest clinch.

"You can go out on your feet or on your ass. The choice is yours," The man drew his pointing finger to the portal of the door. "Out. Now."

"A-chan!" Kaname begged as she began to walk towards the door. She stepped out of it and continued to plead with him. "Can't we work this out? It isn't even morning yet. Please?" she begged him.

The door closed shut with a snap as Kaname stared at the wood. She began to shake pitifully as she realized that she was being thrown out in the middle of the night. She didn't even have her cell phone.

The door rattled for a moment before opening a sliver. Akihiko looked between the frame and the door at her with one eye before sliding her cell phone at her. He released it into her grip and a few moments later he slid her tooth brush past the precipice and allowed it to clatter by her feet. He then shut the door wordlessly.

"Thanks you bastard!" Kaname shouted before landing several ground shaking kicks at the door. She left an imprint before turning on her heels and stomping away angrily. She snatched up both of her bags and made her way to the curb before taking several deep breathes.

The young woman grumbled and gnashed her teeth before pressing a button on the side of the phone. The screen activated in the dark and she quickly entered her pass code. The desktop opened to a picture of her and Akihiko pressing their faces together. She scowled and began to look at her contacts.

Kaname pressed her finger against the name 'Kyoko Tokiwa' and watched as the screen flashed and began to show a small rotary phone shaking. The words 'dialing' appeared and her heart fell when it went to voice mail almost instantly.

"Hi! You have reached Kyoko and I can't answer the phone right now. Leave your name and phone number and I will get right back to you!" The voice of the young girl echoed out of the phone.

"Ugh! Kyoko, call me back as soon as you get this. Akihiko just threw me out!" Kaname spoke into the phone with barely suppressed disgust in her voice. She then brought the phone back down to look at the menu again. She tried Mizuki Inaba next and received a connection to voice mail for her trouble as well.

Kaname began to feel panic settle into her stomach. She scrolled past Mizuki and looked down to find a single name. "Sousuke," she breathed out loud as she looked down at the phone. His name glowed and she felt her stomach flip flop as she drew the courage to contact him. After several moments of contemplation she allowed her thumb to press down hard on his name.

The phone displayed the familiar 'Dialing' message before immediately cutting off. The words 'Disconnected' appeared for a split second before the phone began to ring again. She watched as the number became a jumble of symbols and after a moment a voice came over the line.

"Hello," The voice spoke throatily.

"Hi, I think I have the wrong number. Sorry," Kaname explained before the deep voice interrupted her.

"You have reached the Titan Hot Line. Our illustrious leader will be with you shortly," The voice on the phone practically boomed in her ear as Kaname squinted and pulled the phone from her ear.

"What the hell?" she questioned before disconnecting the call. She looked up just as a black car with bright head lights pulled up to the curb in front of her. She hadn't noticed any vehicles on the road a moment ago but she instinctively took a step backwards when the vehicle rolled to a stop.

The head lights to the massive vehicle flicked off and she watched with bated breathe as the drivers side door opened. A massive man who stood at least seven feet tall extricated himself from the vehicle. He wore a black suit and had well trimmed and close cropped hair. His face was pulled into a smirking grin and it appeared that his monstrous physique wished to rip his clothing to shreds as he moved stiffly.

"Who are you?" Kaname managed to mumbled out as she looked up towards the face of the man who stood above her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Chidori-san," the man replied as he turned his attention downwards towards her as though he had only just noticed her. "My name is Pallas." He adjusted his tie and collar with his massive hands before reaching out to extend his meaty paw at her.

"How do you know my name?" Kaname inquired before tentatively placing her hand in his massive grip. She felt him squeeze daintily before releasing her and she instinctively pulled her hands to her breasts and interlaced her fingers close to her heart. She felt like an animal that had only barely just avoided a dangerous trap.

"As I stated before, my name is Pallas," He replied with a slightly exasperated look on his face. "I am a Titan. I am here to offer you a trade."

"A trade?" Kaname inquired suspiciously. "What could I trade you?" She stared at him nervously. "Look, I think you need to leave." She began to shoo him away as she felt an intense fear taking over her irrationally.

Pallas grinned devilishly before sighing. "Listen little girl. I have no desire for your Earthly flesh. I need your abilities. You are a Whispered and you are the only one who can assist us." He explained.

At the mention of the word Whispered, Kaname recoiled. She toppled over backwards onto her butt and began to splutter. "Are you here to kidnap me?" She began to cry as she stared up at the massive man. He appeared even larger as she propped herself up on her hands and leaned her neck back. "I'll scream!" she threatened.

Pallas reached into his jacket with his right hand. He rummaged in his breast pocket for a moment before extracting a tablet sized cell phone. He pressed several buttons before turning the device around to face the young woman on the floor.

Kaname watched the screen. It appeared as though someone had shot a film from a bush. She could see Sousuke approaching a black motorcycle. He had a helmet tucked under his arm and he was wearing a decidedly sexy set of riding leathers. She looked past the phone quizzically at Pallas before he pointed at the phone. She returned her attention to the device.

Kaname felt her blood boil. A dark skinned woman wearing only a pair of panties and an open kimono exploded out of the door way, vaulted over a motorcycle with a side car, and landed on Sousukes' back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. She began to furiously kiss the back of his head and neck. Kaname scowled.

Pallas withdrew the phone, pressed more buttons, and then turned the device to face her again. The pair were now sitting at a table with a group of misfits. She scoffed as she looked at the ear rings made of spark plugs one of them wore. "She isn't that pretty," Kaname spat as she scowled at the dark skinned woman that Sousuke was doting on.

Again, Pallas withdrew the phone, repeated his ministrations, and returned the phone one last time. "Kaname Chidori is a total cunt," a voice spoke aloud. Her eyes narrowed and she watched the dark skinned woman gossip and bad mouth her to a very beautiful light skinned woman with facial tattoos similar to the brown skinned one. "Who does this bitch think she is?" Kaname growled before pulling herself to her feet.

The video on the phone morphed and the dark skin woman appeared in a close up. "I'm a Goddess," she spoke as she flipped her hair and posed in the frame sexily.

Pallas pressed a button on the side of the phone and the screen turned blank. He returned the phone to his pocket and patted his jacket where the device settled. "Sousuke and his girlfriend are conspiring against you." Pallas exhaled as he flashed a manipulative grin. "That's really all he has done since he broke up with you. Spread rumors behind your back, discuss your short comings. It's really kind of sad."

Kaname seethed as she held her hands in fists at her side. "So what does this have to do with you? What do you want?" She practically yelled at him as she felt the urge to punch or strike any one or anything near by.

"You help us capture the woman and you can have Sousuke. You can punish him for every thing he has done to you," Pallas explained as he gestured around with his massive hands. "You are here because he didn't take care of you. He promised to take care of you. Didn't he?" the man continued.

"You are right. This is his fault," Kaname exclaimed. "So what am I supposed to do?" she asked.

"You will help us build the Black Technology that we need in order to capture the Goddess." Pallas reached down and hefted both suit cases up in a single hand. "Will you be our champion? I formally invite you to serve the Othrys Corporation."

"I don't know. I should probably not make decisions like this in the heat of the moment," Kaname drolled as she looked about. "I mean, hey, at least it isn't raining. Right?" she spoke before jumping. A peal of thunder rocked her backwards before a torrential downpour erupted. She felt herself become instantly drenched.

The passenger door to the car opened before Pallas turned on his heels and gripped the drivers door. He opened it and tossed her bags into the back seat of the car before entering the car as a large man may put on a tiny coat.

Kaname bit her lip for a second before rushing towards the passenger side door. She hefted it open the rest of the way and entered the vehicle. Her eyes ran to the face of Pallas and she sighed. "Will I have some place to stay?" she asked.

"You will have room and board, warm meals, and a laboratory," he replied calmly.

The sound of the rain pounding on the vehicle nearly deafened Kaname but she regained her senses, took a deep breathe, and spoke forcefully. "I accept. I will work for the Othrys Corporation."

The rain suddenly stopped and Pallas smiled at her. He appeared dangerous and powerful, like a wolf who had just invited a doe into his den. "You start tomorrow. Let's get you home," he released a booming laugh and started the car.

Kaname leaned forward in her seat to look up and out of the vehicle towards the sky. She was shocked by the rapidness in which the weather was changing that night. "Have you ever seen it rain like that?" She asked Pallas.

"Once," he replied as his smile curled back into a sneer. "Get comfortable," he commanded as the vehicle began to roll forward.

Kaname felt her eyes growing heavy before they made it to the stop sign at the end of the street. She struggled to keep her head up but failed. When she awoke again, they were parked in what appeared to be an underground lot. The walls appeared to be made from stone and the construction itself appeared to have been made for people who were all as large as Pallas.

"How long was I asleep?" Kaname questioned Pallas she turned her head to look at enormous man sitting next to her.

"Not long," he replied before opening the door and exiting the vehicle . He began to walk towards a large entrance way .

Kaname rushed to follow him, leaving her bags in the vehicle. She wasn't sure if she needed to bring them but hoped she could acquire them later. The air was remarkably clean inside the cavernous area they were currently strolling through.

"Welcome to Othrys," Pallas stated after Kaname made her way to nearly jog next to him as he took long strides. "This is where we, the Titans, have been biding our time until we have a chance to take back what is ours." His booming voice filled the halls as they walked.

Kaname allowed her gaze to move from side to side as she attempted to memorize their path. She gave up quickly as they twisted and turned through the area without a single stop. It felt like forever before they finally arrived at what appeared to be an elevator. As was the style, the architecture of even the elevator was over sized. The entire building made Kaname feel as though she were doll house sized and currently exploring a full sized residence.

The pair entered the elevator together. Pallas placed his massive frame in front of a wall of buttons and punched in their destination. The door slid shut and the carriage began to move down wards at a rapid pace. "We will be going deeper into the mountain. We will be as close to the shell of the turtle as one can go."

"The shell of the what?" Kaname questioned him.

Pallas turned to face her and stared down at her with some annoyance on his features. He held his left hand up palm facing down and began to speak. "Heaven." He then placed his right hand under the left, also palm facing downwards. "Yggdrasil." He repeated the motion with the left. "Othrys." Finally he placed his right palm under the other again and stated "The back of the turtle."

Kaname gaped incredulously. She had never heard someone speak such utter and unbelievable drivel and believe every word they said. "Right," she replied before rolling her eyes. "Look, if you psychopaths are on the chase for some kind of amazing Black Technology drug or something, I don't think I am your Whispered," she continued to speak sardonically.

Pallas stared at her intensely. His expression only belayed the greatest of scorn and hatred. "Do you think that you are superior in intellect because you are ignorant?" he questioned her slowly as one may do to an obstinate child.

Kaname seethed as the large man looked down on her. "No one believes in fairy tales any more. The planet is round, it rotates around the sun, and there is no such thing as giant space turtles," she spat back at him.

Pallas did not answer her. He stood still until the bell within the elevator chimed. The door began to slide open and he reached out with his massive hand to cup the top of her head. His meaty fingers dug into her scalp as he lifted her off the ground by her skull until she was kicking and screaming. Her face was at head height with him.

"Look," he spoke to her as she reached up and gripped his wrist with both hands. She grunted and screamed as he turned and extended her in full body outwards towards the exit of the elevator.

A glass terrace with two spiral stair cases headed downwards extended out from where the elevator had landed. What looked like a sea of titanic people undulated below her. They were participants in what looked to be an orgy of blood as they ripped and tore at the flesh of screaming humans.

"They are eating them!" she cried out as she looked down into the detestable pit.

"You will be next if you do not do exactly what I ask," Pallas spoke as he took several steps and dangled her over the edge of the terrace.

"Please no!" she cried out as her legs began to kick even harder.

Pallas returned her from the edge and sat her down on the glass terrace. He reached into his enormous pocket and withdrew a single red ruby about the size of an apple. He extended it towards her.

Kaname hesitated before reaching out and taking the ruby as Pallas' glare grew in intensity.

"An initial payment," he spoke as he watched the small woman grip the stone in between both hands.

Kaname did not answer as she shook at the knees. "What do I do now?" she inquired.

Pallas clapped his hands once. The sound shocked and frightened Kaname so greatly that she fell to her knees. Her eyes clamped shut in terror.

"Get up child," a soft and feminine voice spoke.

Kaname flinched and cowered as a soft hand caressed her shoulder. She finally opened a single eye and her breath fell away as she looked at the woman before her.

The woman was beautiful with a dignified thickness that belayed her maturity. Her ample breasts strained against the toga like outfit that she wore and a golden crown capped her drawn back auburn hair.

"Who are you?" Kaname choked out.

"My name is Athena, child," the woman spoke sweetly. Her voice was like honey as it soothed Kaname. "You have work to do, for both of our sakes."

Kaname stood and looked about the room nervously. The pair were the only ones within and she was surprised to find that there were no doors or windows. "How did I get in here?"

"Magic," Athena replied with a soft and sad smile. She began to turn and motioned towards a table. "That is where you will work." The sound of a rustling chain drew Kaname to look downward. A thick golden chain held Athena in an ankle shackle.

"Oh my God," Kaname gasped as she extended her hands out in a futile attempt to offer assistance to the woman. "Why are you chained?" she spoke fearfully.

"I am here to help you. They demand that I provide you with the tools and knowledge that you will need to help them succeed. I will do what I can to keep you alive, but you must not let them succeed." The woman gestured again towards the desk. "Come child. We must start." She waved a hand and a book, tools, and a computer appeared on the desk.

"What do I do?" Kaname questioned Athena as she approached the desk and looked down at the book. She felt her vision tunneling and she began to smell blood. A stream of mathematical gibberish began to cascade from her lips as her life fluids leaked from her nose.

Athena lifted a notebook and a pen and began to write quickly. She took notes as she watched Kaname fall to the ground, her speech growing frantic as she began to twitch and jerk. "I'm sorry. I want to go home," Athena whispered as she cringed at the torturous sight before her.

\scenebreak

"Sagara, Sousuke!" The instructor raised her voice as she held up a test. She scanned the auditorium for a moment before smiling and extending the paper towards a young man with scars on his face. She took several steps forward before meeting him a few steps from the seats.

Sousuke stopped himself from saluting the instructor and played off his behavior by running his fingers through his hair. He quickly reached out and took the proffered paper from the woman. He felt his chest extend with pride when she praised him. He looked down to find he had earned perfect marks on his final electrical engineering exam.

Sousuke turned on his heels and returned to his seat. He could feel his cheeks fill with heat as he heard students around him discussing in hushed voices how strange but intelligent he was. He sighed inwardly before ignoring their talk. He was proud because he knew he was on track to graduate and he would be finished with school soon.

The bell interrupted his reverie and he stood. He looked about at the students mulling towards the doorway and decided to hang back until the crowd had dispersed. It was several minutes before he made his way into the hallway and several more before he made it to the cafeteria.

"Hey there Sousuke!" came a feminine voice from near by.

"Greetings Megumi!" Sousuke replied as he turned his head rapidly until he spied Keiichi Morisato's little sister. He drew his normal grimace into a smile as he offered her an awkward wave.

Megumi darted forward and hugged him quickly before releasing him with a red tint to her cheeks. "It's been a while, how was your sabbatical?" she questioned the soldier with a look of interest on her face.

"Things have been very good," he replied. Sousuke motioned for the young lady to take his spot in line since he was at the end of the line any ways.

"It's fine," she waved him off. "I brought lunch, doesn't Belldandy make you lunch?" she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "Or Urd?" she continued with barely hinted malice.

"Urd does cook for me," Sousuke confirmed. "However, I usually end up eating it during my first class," he looked abashed as he rubbed his belly. "I get hungry."

"Maybe I should cook you lunch then. Something heartier?" she questioned him as he squirmed uncomfortably. Sousuke was aware that Megumi had not been made aware that Urd and he were a serious item. He considered Urd his true team mate in life, but the scandal that could erupt in Keiichi's life if Megumi discovered that the pair were living in one room, in his home, was not something he was ready to broach.

"That is a kind offer but I must disagree. I would not want you to spend time cooking for me," he tried to placate her as he held his two hands out at her.

"If the three 'Goddesses' are not going to take care of Keiichi and you, someone is going to need to step up," Megumi sighed exasperatedly as she stared at Sousuke with a concerned look. "Someone has to help," she continued to speak as her forehead creased into scowl.

"Yes Ma'am," Sousuke replied as he shot her a snappy salute. He smiled as her features softened and she rolled her eyes at him.

The pair stood in companionable silence as they shuffled forward in line at a snails pace. Eventually Sousuke gathered up a modest lunch that included a bowl of rice and sliced beef, an egg, and some fruit and pickled vegetables. He offered Megumi a pudding cup that she eagerly accepted.

The pair made their way out towards the Auto Club and located numerous familiar faces. Keiichi, Belldandy, Otaki, and Tamiya were currently devouring their meals and laughing as they talked amongst themselves.

Tamiya stood and saluted Sousuke as he grinned wide. "Friend!" he bellowed as Otaki joined in by waving at him.

"You see me every day you know," Sousuke replied as he placed his food down on the table and sat to begin eating. "It's always good to see you though."

"I owe you my life for the joy you have brought me." Tamiya felt his eyes well with tears as he reached into his pocket to remove a picture of Tessa. "You found me a Goddess," he spoke as he pressed his massive lips against the picture, wiped his eyes, and placed the photo back into his pocket.

"I heard that, every day this week," Sousuke laughed. "I'm happy for you. I really am. Tessa needed someone who loved her."

Tamiya leaned forward and placed a single finger against his own lips before blowing air over it. "Don't say that. We don't say that yet," he admonished Sousuke as he looked about nervously.

Sousuke looked about as well and wondered if Tamiya was afraid that someone may be watching them from a cloaked Arm Slave somewhere near by. It wouldn't surprise him if Tessa kept tabs on her boyfriend. He would be even less surprised if he discovered Tessa was spending her lunch breaks monitoring the group in between missions.

"How was your performance on your final exam?" Belldandy piped up from her seat next to Keiichi. She spoke to Sousuke as she lifted a pair of chopsticks up and fed Keiichi from a bento box. The Goddess seemed to be making a point to be kinder to the soldier since he had ensured that she had Keiichi would always have each other.

"Bullseye," Sousuke replied as he held up a single thumb. He nodded his head towards her slightly in thanks for her concern. "It would appear that my current capabilities as well as the credit I earned for previous military experience have put me on track to graduate early."

"You will probably be done a year before I am." Keiichi spoke up between bites and chews of the meal that Belldandy had created him. He reached down and hefted a drink to his lips, took a sip, and sat it down. A single glistening line of his beverage shimmered in the light of the mid day sun.

Belldandy reached out with her thumb and ran it up the side of Keiichi's face, she gathered up the spilled drink that dribbled down his face, and then licked her thumb clean without hesitation. She did not acknowledge the look of surprise that Megumi shot her way. "Mr. Keiichi can be very messy," Belldandy chuckled softly before lifting another piece of food up with the chopsticks and opening her mouth wide in encouragement. She made a long and guttural sound like one may do to encourage a baby to eat and Keiichi opened his mouth with a look of embarrassment on his face.

Sousuke fought back a laugh as he pointedly ignored the pair. He was well aware that neither had consummated their relationship yet, and neither seemed to have the gumption to initiate. Sousuke had a bet with Urd on who would initiate first. He fully expected Belldandy to simply take what she wanted at the rate the pair were going. Urd disagreed and was waiting for Keiichi to awkwardly fumble for Belldandy some evening.

Sousuke sighed for a moment. He suddenly lost his appetite as his vision faded in and out for a brief moment. His heart rate increased and he could hear it beating in his ears. He leaned back away from the food, sighed, and began to rub his left arm. He had the sudden urge to run from where he was and a strong desire for a strong drink.

"Hey, you all right?" Megumi asked as she noticed that Sousuke had flushed and his face was covered in sweat.

"Of course," Sousuke replied through dry lips as he flashed her a false smile. He stood and looked about the foyer at the students. He knew that there was nothing out of the ordinary and no reason for him to feel as he did. "I think I am going to take a walk. I just feel restless," he smiled before gathering up his half eaten lunch and disposing of it in a near by trash can.

Megumi began to stand as well but Belldandy reached out and softly tapped her to grab her attention. The Goddess shook her head in the negative at her and smiled sadly. "He is physically healthy," she whispered to the girl. "He has his other quirks."

Megumi watched as Sousuke placed his arms over his head. She wondered what he was doing as he left to begin pacing the school as he sometimes was known to do. She had seen him before, walking slowly with his fingers intertwined over his head, and usually he was drenched in sweat.


	2. Ah! A Goddess Needs A Nap?

Urd lounged in her beach chair as she sat in the garden. She was wearing a very small white bikini, white wide frame shades, and kept her hair pinned back in a massive flowing pony tail. She hummed softly to herself as she listened to Skuld fuss about in the back yard. "Explain to me again why you are wasting a beautiful day like this?" Urd questioned her.

Skuld held herself perpendicular with the ground on her fists, finished twenty push ups, and then returned to her feet to rest for thirty seconds. The little Goddess wore a black tank top and a pair of camouflage fatigue pants. She spoke quickly between sets. "I am preparing for Valkyrie training." She scowled as she turned to look at Urd. "May be you ought to join me, you are starting to look a little round," She continued.

Urd scoffed before she reached down with her left hand and pinched the side of her own butt. "Sousuke likes this," she laughed before letting go and settling back down under the sun. "If I need to do sit downs and push aways, I will be sure to ask you for pointers."

Skuld shook her head before sitting down and moving into repetitious sets of sit ups. She would do fifty before allowing herself to rest for thirty seconds. She repeated this until she felt too tired to continue. She would then return to push ups. After several minutes of this she stopped and stood, her breath escaped in gasps as she placed her fists on her hips.

Urd lifted her sun glasses to look at Skuld from beneath the wide rims. You are blocking my sky," she spoke quietly before looking down at the shadow that Skuld was casting across her skin. She smiled sweetly.

Skuld threw her hands up and turned away before breaking into a sprint. She began to run back and forth in the back yard as she paced herself with a rude cadence about ugly women that she sang. "I don't know what I've been told, but Urd's ass is pretty bad." Skuld laughed and almost toppled over when a water bottle sailed past her head.

Urd waited until Skuld was enthralled in her exercise before scowling and looking down at her body. She pinched herself on her stomach, thighs, and arms before standing up and looking down at the ground. She knelt, placed her palms down on the floor, and began to do a push up.

Skuld watched her sister out of the corner of her eye and smiled inwardly as she continued to work out. "Can't let you let yourself go just yet," Skuld sang the words to herself quietly. "You owe me Sousuke," she giggled.

After another hour of exercise, the pair appeared drenched in sweat. "I can't believe I just did that." Urd groaned as she lay on her back in the grass with Skuld next to her. "I'm insane. YOU are insane," she panted as she turned her head to gaze at Skuld.

"I have to be ready. Valkyrie training is supposed to be very hard," Skuld replied as she turned her head to look at Urd. "I want to be able to protect our family."

Urd smiled before looking back up at the sky. "You really look up to Sousuke, don't you?" she asked.

Skuld scoffed. "He is a complete nasty," she grinned wide before breaking into laughter. "He is also tough, smart, and really cares about you. He cares about all of us," she continued to explain.

Urd nodded silently.

"I am really glad that you two found each other," Skuld continued after a brief pause. "I think he compliments you well."

"I think he does too," Urd replied. She felt her face tugging into an involuntary smile as she imagined him sitting at the kitchen table in the morning, his hair mussed, and his gaze focused on the news paper. "Sometimes I feel like we are..." she paused.

"Married?" Skuld questioned giddily. "Do you think you want to marry him?" she continued to prod with her words as she wiggled and squirmed in the grass excitedly.

"You don't act like this for Belldandy and Keiichi," Urd offered in reply as she blushed and turned her face, a tiny grin on her lips appeared that she wanted to hide from Skuld.

"I would rather he beat his own dick with a hammer." Skuld replied with a scowl as she flung her arm out of the way as Urd tried to smack her.

"I can't believe you just said that," Urd fought back laughter as she attempted to admonish her little sister. "Who taught you to talk like that? Sousuke?" she continued.

"Kurtz," Skuld replied without a hint of remorse. "He always says 'I would rather beat my own dick with a hammer than have to do something.' and I think it is funny," she shrugged.

Urd chuckled and shook her head back and forth before holding her hands out in front of herself. She cupped her fingers and made a heart shape that she looked through at the blue sky above. "Remind me, you aren't allowed to talk to Sousukes' friends any more."

Skuld scoffed in reply before sitting up. "I think I am going to take a shower," she stood and flexed all of the muscles in her body as she reached upwards towards the sky on her tip toes. She sighed and began to walk towards the house.

Urd had watched as Skuld flexed and was surprised by her muscular tone and definition. She knew that Skuld was preparing for Valkyrie training, the little Goddess wouldn't shut up about it, but she was shocked by the quality of training she had received from Sousuke and Belldandy. "I need to do something too," she sighed before floating up to her feet. She stopped and looked down as she pretended Sousuke was kneeling before her. Urd reached out with her left hand before withdrawing it and looking at it, she imagined he had put a ring on her finger. "Oh yes! I will marry you!" she gushed before laughing and flipping her hair.

Urd leaned back on her heels and hopped up before landing on her back in the air. She floated backwards towards the house while giggling the entire way before crossing the threshold, spinning around, and allowing her feet to contact the wooden floor. She made her way to the bathroom and didn't hesitate to slam the door open.

"What the hell Urd?" cried out Skuld as she scrambled to cover herself. She was under the water with a deep scowl etched into her face. "We aren't kids any more," the tiny Goddess exclaimed as she watched Urd banish her clothing and charge into the bathroom.

"Move," Urd demanded before pushing Skuld out of the way and taking over the water. She increased the heat of the water, summoned a bar of soap, and began to clean herself while pointedly ignoring the cries of foul play from Skuld.

Several minutes later the pair exited the bathroom and headed for their respective rooms. Skuld continued to complain under her breath as she cried out through the house about Urd's craziness.

Urd could only laugh in reply before telling Skuld with a booming retort. "You think that they let Valkyries shower by themselves? Good luck with that!" she feigned covering her own body in her bedroom before calling out louder. "Oh no! Please don't look at my flat chest!" before bursting into laughter again.

Skuld pouted.

\scenebreak

Urd stood in front of her mirror in the bedroom she shared with Sousuke. She snapped her fingers rhythmically, as a new outfit appeared on her with each snap. She posed and studied herself with each out fit, trying to decide how she should look when Sousuke returns from classes.

She eventually settled on her favorite purple and black demon dress and her hair in pig tails. She knew it was one of his favorite out fits that she wore and she liked it too. "Easy enough," she spoke to herself as she twirled once. She immediately regretted that decision as the room seemed to continue spinning as she came to a halt. She buckled at the waist and placed her hands on her knees as she felt as though she were going to fall over.

"Wow!" she groaned before the feeling passed. "What was that?" she wondered as she stood straight. She felt queasy and contemplated heading for the bath room. She waited and after a few seconds she began to feel much better. Several seconds later she called out for Skuld.

"What?" the little Goddess spat as she stood in the door way of Urd's room. She was wearing a tank top and a pair of basketball shorts as she suckled on the end of an enormous water bottle.

"Hey, I don't feel very well," Urd replied as she snapped her fingers once more and changed clothes into her pajamas. The moment her clothing swapped she fell over onto her side in a faint.

"Urd!" Skuld cried out as she rushed forward to cradle her sisters head in her lap. "Hey! Urd!" she cried out as she began to inspect her. Skuld stilled and placed her finger tip under Urd's nose, she verified she was breathing before helping her lay on her side in a recovery position. "I'm going to call for Belldandy," she exclaimed before calling out for Noble Scarlet.

The tiny Angel appeared and looked down at Urd. She turned her head to look at Skuld, nodded once, and vanished in a fluttering of vanishing wings. A split second later an ear splitting crack rocked the room causing Skuld to flinch.

Belldandy appeared with a flash. The entire house shook as her corporeal form split through the ether. Her eyes burned with raw energy as she looked about the room for a moment. The bright glow that filled her eye sockets diminished. She immediately moved to Urd's side. "Are you all right?" she spoke calmly as she gently pushed Skuld away.

Skuld looked on in awe as she caught a glimpse of the raw power that Belldandy commanded.

"Bell?" Urd groaned as her eyes fluttered open. "What is happening? Is school over?" she queried with a confused look on her face.

"You tell me," Belldandy replied as she smiled softly at her sister. Are "you feeling all right?"

"Sure. I think I just over exerted my self," Urd chuckled before pulling herself into a sitting position. She swayed for a moment before laying back down. "I think I am going to take a nap," she stated before clinching her eyes shut. She looked pained.

Skuld turned to Belldandy and explained their exercise event, shower, and her eventual collapse. She tried to leave no details out as she spoke rapidly.

"I think you might be right. Over exertion," Belldandy replied as she watched Urd fretfully. "You rest for now."

Urd nodded once before reaching down to pull a blanket up over her head. She seemed to have no stomach for light as she curled into a ball .

Skuld pointed at herself before pointing down at the ground. She wordlessly informed Belldandy that she would stay with Urd.

Belldandy replied with a nod before making her way to the living room. She pressed her hand against the television and relaxed as she was transported to the side mirror of the motorcycle that Keiichi rode to class. She relaxed as she was spit back into corporeal form. The amount of energy used to travel by object was much less than to do it without a reagent.

Belldandy walked through the college campus with purpose. She found her way to the Computer Science building and located Sousukes' current class. She knocked twice and waited as the instructor approached the door, opened it, and asked if he could help her.

"May I speak to Mr. Sagara?" she questioned. "It's important," she continued to speak to the man. She waited patiently as the instructor seemed to be unsure what to say before he turned and called for Sousuke.

"Urd seems to be a little sick," Belldandy spoke to him calmly. "She is fine, but Skuld is going to watch her. I wanted you to know from me instead of finding out later and believing that I excluded you from her care." Belldandy spoke levelly to him.

"Do I need to go to her?" he questioned.

"Finish your class. She needs to rest any ways," Belldandy replied before turning on her heels and walking back to her class. She heard the door shut and hoped that Sousuke would finish his class without incident.

\scenebreak

Skuld sat cross legged at Urd's feet as she watched her sleep. She monitored her sister with worry in her eyes as she wondered what could have happened. "Are you that weak?" she questioned as she shook her head and smirked.

The sound of wings rustling snapped Skuld back to reality and she turned to look at Noble Scarlet. The tiny Angel was fussing with her wings as she sat on the floor as well. She seemed disinterested in the sleeping form of Urd. The Angel could sense Skuld's attention and turned to look at her. They held eye contact for a while before Noble Scarlet lifted her hand up, mimed gripping a pistol, and made a soft "bang" noise as she pointed at Skuld. The little Angel laughed and returned to cleaning her wings.

Skuld echoed the motion with her own hand before rolling her eyes. She wished that World Of Elegance would appear, but she didn't expect her to do so. It wasn't unheard of for a sick Goddess to have trouble summoning her Angel. It was uncommon however for a Goddess to fall ill.

Skuld stood and began to pace. She felt powerless as she wished she could help Urd some how. Her skills lay in electronics, software, and combat. The idea of providing medical care beyond a soothing song seemed beyond her and she felt a deep appreciation for the healing skills that Belldandy had. "She just needs to sleep," Skuld spoke to herself as she fidgeted.

"Yes. She does," Urd confirmed with a groan as she opened her eyes and looked at Skuld. "She also needs to get dinner ready," she sighed as she began to struggle from under the sheets.

"Wait!" Skuld pleaded before rushing forward. "I will cook dinner," she continued before a sense of foreboding washed over her.

"You can cook?" Urd questioned as she peaked at Skuld with a single opened eye.

"Can I cook? Of course I can cook," Skuld laughed nervously before throwing Urd a thumbs up. "You sleep, I will cook."

"OK," Urd replied before closing her eyes again and nestling into the futon.

Skuld blanched and motioned for Noble Scarlet to follow her. The pair entered the kitchen and exchanged a glance. "Can YOU cook?" she questioned the tiny Angel.

Noble Scarlet smiled wide before shaking her head in the negative.

"Of course you can't," Skuld sighed before turning to open the fridge. "How hard can this be?" she wondered aloud as she gazed at all of the different ingredients they kept stocked in the fridge. She began to gather different items from each of the shelves of the fridge and place them on the counter.

"Meat," she spoke before hefting up a large chunk of what appeared to be roast. "Vegetable," she stated flatly as she tossed a carrot and two bell peppers at the hunk of meat. She halted for a second before summoning a spoon to her hand. She then opened the freezer, dug into the ice cream, and took two large scoops that she swallowed quickly before replacing the box. "Ice cream," her voice rang out again before realizing that Noble Scarlet was glaring at her.

"What? It's good for you," Skuld stated before continuing to dig in the pantries.

Noble Scarlet rolled her eyes before floating up into the air and climbing into one of the cabinets. She rummaged for a while before returning with a can of beans, a white onion, and several canisters of spices.

"Good idea," Skuld grinned before grabbing a large pot. She opened the can of beans and chunked it into the pot and placed the roast on top. She then chopped the vegetables up and threw them on top with several heaping spoonfuls of different spices.

"Scarlet stew," Skuld grinned before turning the burner on to the stove and placing the pot on top. She poured a glass of water over the top of the concoction and threw a top on before taking several steps back. She wasn't sure how long to let it cook so she decided to stay in the kitchen and check it as necessary.

Skuld could hear the rumble of the motorcycles arriving and she began to plate dinner. She filled several bowls up with a mash of beans, onions, and meat and began to set them out on the counter. She stuck her finger in one of the bowls before popping it into her mouth. "Yum," she spoke with a hint of disbelief in her voice. She liked what she had cooked.

Skuld wasn't surprised when Sousuke entered the home and rushed to the bedroom, she heard the door open and then close softly. Belldandy and Keiichi entered the kitchen together and approached the counter. Skuld puffed up her chest and extended her hands at the bowls. "Scarlet stew. Dinner is served," she excitedly displayed her food for them.

Belldandy smiled at her before taking her bowl. Keiichi followed suit as he looked hard at the glop of mush inside the bowl. The pair made their way to the kitchen table and took seats before prodding at the meal with their spoons.

A few moments later, Sousuke entered the kitchen and spotted the bowl on the counter. He approached it, reached out, and hefted the serving dish with the most food in it. He looked about for a second before spying a spoon and began to eat before he had even sat down.

Skuld felt her dejection begin to fade as she watched Sousuke eat her stew. She kept an eye on him as she realized he was the only one enjoying the food, and he seemed to be enjoying it tremendously as he shoveled it into his mouth at an increasing rate.

"Is it good?" Skuld queried.

"Yes, it is," Sousuke replied between bites. He turned to look at Belldandy and asked politely. "Did you make this?"

"I did not," Belldandy replied before looking down at her untouched bowl.

"It's good," Sousuke continued to speak before jabbing his spoon at "Keiichi. You?"

"I made it," Skuld finally interrupted as she stared at him with a curious look on her face. "Do you really like it?"

"I do," he confirmed with a nod as he swallowed another large mouthful. He licked the spoon clean before using his index finger to methodically scoop the left overs up and into his mouth. He then took the bowl to the sink and picked up the second bowl. "I think Urd will like it too."

Keiichi watched the soldier as he tried to assess whether he was serious in his love of the food or only being supportive. He finally caved and lifted the spoon, dipped it into the goop, and lifted it to his lips. "It's OK," he finally stated before digging in.

Belldandy smiled serenely and began to eat as well. If she didn't like it, she hid it well.

Sousuke exited the room and made his way to the bedroom where Urd was resting. He brought the bowl and a spoon with him. He opened the door softly, entered, and closed it behind him. "Hey," he spoke softly as he began to approach Urd.

"What?" she whispered back. The blankets rustled as she rolled over to face him. She peered out from under the blanket, she had wrapped it around her head and she watched him intently as he carried the bowl towards her.

Sousuke sat down and sat the bowl to the side. "Hungry?" he asked her as he watched her with a look of concern.

"I think so," she replied before sniffing several times. "Ugh, what is that smell?" Her normally warm brown cheeks looked positively green as she stared fearfully at the bowl.

"Skuld made it. It's good," he stated as he began to stir the bowl with the spoon. A moment later he was struggling to keep the bowl from exploding across the room as he recoiled away from Urd.

The Goddess had thrown the blankets off of her body before rocketing upwards. She rushed towards the door, threw it open, and burst into the bathroom before emptying the contents of her stomach. She retched violently.

Sousuke sat the spoon in the bowl, stood, and made his way to her. He entered the bathroom and immediately drew her long flowing hair up into a bunch in order to keep it from her mouth.

"Oh my God, get out," Urd pleaded as she vomited again. "You can't see a Goddess like this," she pleaded with him as he wrapped an arm around her to help steady her.

"In a moment," he replied as he kept her on her feet. He looked up and made eye contact with Skuld. She was standing in the door way nervously.

"The stew?" she mouthed at him.

Sousuke shook his head in the negative before adjusting how he stood as Urd swayed forward. He gave her a few more moments before leaning down and hooking her arm around his neck. The soldier guided her to the sink and turned her before lifting her up to sit on the edge.

"No," Urd groaned as she tried to hide her face behind her hands.

Sousuke turned, acquired a towel, and turned on the sink. He waited for the water to warm before dipping the cloth under the gushing faucet, soaking it, and then moving to wash her face.

Urd fussed and struggled as he approached her but stilled when he whispered a curt 'Stop it' in her direction. The Goddess sat still, a look of embarrassment on her features. She could feel her lips moving about as he scrubbed and cleaned her. He wiped the sweat from her brow and then reached for his tooth brush. He moved to place the instrument into her mouth but she grabbed it. "I can at least do this."

Sousuke nodded before stepping back and watching as she brushed her teeth and tongue. She watched him with a furrowed brow as he kept an eye on her. She then stood, turned, and spit into the sink. "Done," she spoke as she twisted and looked at him.

"Feeling better?" Sousuke questioned her as he watched to make sure she was steady.

"I'm fine, I feel a lot better now," Urd confirmed before looking towards Skuld. "I don't think I want anything with meat though," she smiled with a guilty look on her face.

"You got it," Sousuke confirmed. "What do you want?"

"An apple," Urd replied.

Sousuke held out his hand towards Skuld who snapped her fingers and dropped a single red apple into his hand. "Thanks Skuld," he spoke up before handing the fruit to Urd.

She took it and made her way to the kitchen. Skuld and Sousuke followed her.

"I'm fine you know," she blurted out with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I am not a child," she growled.

Sousuke put his hands up in hopes of placating her. He didn't press the issue but instead made his way past her to the fridge, withdrew a box of green tea ice cream and prepared two bowls. He offered one to Skuld which she graciously accepted with an exaggerated flourish. The pair then sat at the kitchen table and began to eat as Urd scowled at the pair, slowly nibbling on her apple.

Sousuke looked up and allowed his gaze to fall beyond Urd. His Goddess stood with her back towards the entrance and he noticed the intense gaze that Belldandy was giving her from beyond the precipice. He wondered why she would be staring at her with such laser like focus and it began to bother him.

"What?" Urd barked at him, interrupting his train of thought.

"Nothing, it's fine," Sousuke replied. He averted his gaze momentarily and when he allowed his eyes to flicker towards the door again, he discovered that Belldandy had moved on.

"Hey, I can do a lot of push ups," Skuld piped up through a mouthful of ice cream. "What do I need to do next?"

"You need to do pull ups," Sousuke replied easily. "Pull ups will be very important."

"Cool," Skuld nodded her head as she swirled her spoon in her bowl for a moment. She lifted it to her lips and licked as she held a contemplative furrow on her brow. "Can we practice shooting soon?" she queried.

"Affirmative," Sousuke confirmed. "Do you want to work on long distance shooting or do you want to learn more close quarters combat?" he asked.

"Close quarters," Skuld replied quickly. Her eyes lit up and she pretended to hold her spoon out like a blade. "Can we learn knife fighting too?" she continued to question.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied. "I will teach you every thing I know."

Skuld bounced in her seat happily before returning to the contents of her dessert.

Urd felt her scowl fading as she watched Sousuke and Skuld interact. She could see how Sousuke treated Skuld more like a daughter than any thing else. He doted on her and did every thing in his power to keep her happy, even when she had been so critical of him.

Sousuke felt Urd's eyes on him and he looked up at her to catch her eyes. He smiled encouragingly at her as she looked down at him. He watched her cheeks pull up into a reluctant grin as he pursed his lips and made a kissing face.

"Gross," Skuld laughed as she watched the two interact.

"I heard you were kissing Shinji," Urd scoffed as she turned on Skuld. "Oh Shinji, hold me so tight. Yum!" she teased as Skuld turned beet red.

"No way! Shinji is gross!" Skuld denied furiously as she shook her head. She looked mortified that Urd had called her out on her interest in a man. The embarrassment on her face revealed that she did not in fact think that Shinji was gross.

Sousuke chuckled before shaking his head. "You need to be a lot older. Do I need to check you for tattoos?" he spoke accusingly as he turned on her.

"No!" Skuld shouted as she held out her arms. "Look, not a single mark on me," she spoke quickly through breathy spurts as she rotated her wrists about in front of herself.

"We should check her tongue," Urd replied with a blank face.

Sousuke felt his neck snap as he turned to look at Urd in shock. Her eyes were filled with mirth and she struggled to keep a straight face.

"Why my tongue?" Skuld spoke slowly before the insinuation from Urd struck her. She became voiceless as she stood and hurried out of the room in embarrassment.

Sousuke erupted into laughter and shook his hands out as though he were trying to shrug off a particularly unappealing feeling. "Gross," he spat as he inhaled hard. "They aren't?" he asked Urd.

Urd shrugged before taking another bite of her apple. "Weird reaction if they weren't." She chuckled again.

Sousuke shook his head slowly before extending his hand towards Urd. She hesitated for a second playfully before reaching out and interlocking her fingers with his. He pulled softly and she closed the distance before sitting in his lap. "I'm sorry you don't feel well," he whispered to her.

"I feel a lot better now," she replied. Her features softened and she leaned into him before taking another bite of her apple. "This is nice," she spoke.

"I agree," Sousuke nodded as he took a deep breathe and relaxed.


	3. Ah! A Goddess Chirps!?

Marller rubbed at her forehead with the thumb of each hand as she sat at a large wooden table. Her elbows rested firmly on the wood. She sighed before reaching out with her left hand and hefting a large mug to her lips. "This is not going to work," she grumbled to herself before setting the mug down and rubbing at her belly. "Itch, itch, itch," she chanted as she pressed at her war wound with her finger tips.

The demoness stood and unbuttoned her shirt before leaning forward slightly to gather up a handful of salve out of a small wooden container. She rubbed the purple liquid onto her wound and sighed contently. "Ugh, I hate this crap," she spoke to no one as the flicker of candles danced across her face.

Marller then buttoned her shirt once more before drawing a notebook and a pen to herself. She began to scribble on the pages as she spoke. "Dead. Wounded. Wounded. Dead. Missing," she spoke out the fates of different demons as she perused a massive roster in a bound book. They had recently completed a head count of every one of the participants in what they were billing 'The Battle For Hell'. It was Marller's job to tally loses and figure out a way to recover from the battle.

Marller groaned as she turned the page and discovered that several of the highest ranking demons had died in the battle. She knew that things looked grim in Hell but this was unbelievable to her. "What am I going to do?" she sighed aloud before a thought came to her.

Marller began to write excitedly on her notebook but stopped. She looked around for a moment before spotting an older brown breadbox like computer with the words "Commodore" emblazoned on it sitting on a book shelf. She found the monitor for the computer higher up on the book shelf and gathered them up before returning to her desk. She hooked up the chords and pressed the big red button on the top right corner of the box. After what felt like an eternity, a blinking cursor appeared on the screen in a blue border. The word READY stood out to her and she began to type.

It was several hours later before Marller began to hunt for a floppy disk drive. She shuffled about the office over turning boxes until she located the device she needed. It was another hour later before she had finally attached the device, restarted the computer, interfaced with it, and gotten her previous work off of the tiny hard drive on the old computer and onto the floppy drive. The struggle to conduct any kind of work using a computer was real within the confines of hell.

Marller realized that during her search she had made a mess of her desk. She began to shuffle papers out of the way until she located her telephone. She gripped the receiver and brought it up as she lifted the handset to her ear. She dialed a handful of numbers and waited for the phone to make a connection.

\scenebreak

Tessa lounged on a large ivory couch in the middle of her spacious home. She had decided to fly home that night for the weekend and had brought Tamiya with her. The massive auto club member was perusing a magazine with a cover saturated in modified cars and scantily clad women. Tessa rested her feet in his lap as she kept her hands behind her head with her eyes closed.

The phone interrupted their quiet companionship as it began to ring violently. "What the hell?" Tessa growled as she began to reach blindly over the arm of the couch in an attempt to grab the offending device. Eventually she lifted the phone to her ear, her eyes still closed.

"You called me," she answered the phone with barely suppressed malice as she awaited the inevitable idiocy of who ever decided to contact her during her time off. A moment later she was drawing her legs up and off of Tamiya. He didn't flinch as she turned to face forward on the couch. "This is a surprise!" she spoke in a much friendlier tone.

"May I make an appointment with you? I would like to speak to you in person," the voice of Marller came over the telephone.

"Any time, you tell me when you want to do this," Tessa replied.

The television began to glow as a kaleidoscope of light erupted from the screen. A terrible red light began to fill the device until Marller drew herself slowly from the machine. Her fully body landed with a soft thump on the ground before she drew herself to full height.

Tamiya looked up from his magazine, closed it, and then rolled it up before standing. He nodded at Marller and then spoke softly to Tessa. "I will be in the other room. I do not want to interrupt your business." The stoic auto club member made his way out of the room and towards his other favorite place in the house, the garage.

"What can I do for you?" Tessa looked shocked as she gazed at Marller. She stopped to look down at herself, as she was still in her pajamas. She felt embarrassed that she had not had the chance to prepare for their meeting.

Marller smiled wide before approaching Tessa and offering her a firm hand shake. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but I think this just can't wait for us. You may not be aware but Hell suffered tremendous losses during the battle that your group participated it."

"I heard that it was the talk of the metaphysical world," Tessa confirmed as she gestured towards the couch. The pair took a seat as they continued their conversation. "What can Mithril do for you?"

"I want to discuss with you how we could augment our forces with the use of human mercenaries." Marller deadpanned to a shocked Tessa.

"You want to HIRE Mithril?" she questioned incredulously.

"Well, there are agreements that we will not use human combatants directly," Marller grimaced as she ran her fingers through her hair. She felt tired and her stomach was bothering her tremendously.

"You want educators," Tessa grinned slyly. "Even in death, no one is going to escape stupid rules and two faced war fighting," she laughed.

Marller cocked her head inquisitively.

"You need someone to provide guidance and education for your troops. You are looking for what we call 'an adviser', they are a way you can get around rules like that," Tessa explained.

"So this position, what would it take for us to hire someone like that?" Marller questioned her as she nodded in understanding.

"Someone willing to work in Hell and the ability to pay them a worthwhile paycheck I would suppose," Tessa shrugged as she spoke. "I can look around but I would assume you would need someone who is familiar with the politics of Hell, willing to work with metaphysical peoples, and bat shit crazy," she chuckled for a moment.

Marller smiled and nodded. "I guess we need to start putting out feelers and working on the hiring process. Do you think you could help me? I think Hild will appreciate the idea and see the benefit after I make my presentation to her," Marller beamed with pride as she grew excited at the prospect of assisting Hild and Hell itself with solving the issues that they had recently found themselves in.

"I'll do what ever I can," Tessa confirmed as she extended her hand to shake Marller's. "Just tell me what we can do," she smiled and stood as Marller did as well.

Tessa reached down and lifted her cell phone up. "Can you do text messages?" she asked Marller as she wiggled the phone.

"Sure," Marller replied as she withdrew her flip phone. The two women exchanged numbers before shaking hands again. "I will send you a text after I speak to Hild. She might need to talk to you, do you think that will be all right?" she asked hopefully.

"Anything for you two," Tessa replied cheerily. "I will start looking around for a person who can fulfill the position. I'll send you a message when I have some ideas on how we can tackle this situation."

"Sounds great!" Marller grinned, her sharpened canines glistened in the soft light of the home as she waved at Tessa. She then took several steps back and vanished into the light of the television again.

Tessa held her smile for several more seconds before allowing her shoulders to slump and her breathe to rush from between her teeth. "Holy crap," she moaned as she ran her fingers over and through her hair. "Did I just make a deal with the devil?"

She immediately lifted the cell phone up and began to dial the Morisato residence. "Would you just buy a God Damned cell phone?" she growled to no one in particular as she waited for the phone to begin ringing.

"Skuld residence," came the friendly voice of the tiny Goddess that Tessa was familiar with. "Ugh, and Morisato and Sagara," she continued after a murmured voice in the background urged her to finish the statement.

"Hello Skuld!" Tessa forced herself to smile and held a friendly tone as she spoke into the phone. She had made her way over to her desk and gathered up a very beautiful and expensive pen and a pad of paper. "Do you think I could speak to Urd?"

Skuld held the phone away from her ear and looked at it with a look of shock for a moment before returning it to her ear and replying. "Sure, she isn't feeling well but I will get her," she sat the phone down on the table and made her way quickly to the bedroom that Sousuke and Urd shared.

"Hey, you nasties decent?" she inquired before knocking once and opening the door. Sousuke was sitting at a small desk working on a school paper while Urd was curled up in a ball on the floor near his feet.

"What?" Urd growled as she raised her head to look at Skuld.

"Feel decent enough to talk to Tessa?" Skuld inquired as she pointed at Urd.

"What? I mean, sure... OK," Urd spluttered as she pulled herself to her feet. She exchanged a look of curiosity with Sousuke before making her way out of the room and towards the phone. She took a deep breathe and relaxed her shoulders before projecting her voice in a airy and flippant manner. "Urd here."

"Hey, I am really sorry to bother you but I need to ask you something. Do you have any books on Hell or how business works in Hell?" Tessa queried Urd.

"Is there a particular reason?" Urd asked cautiously as she felt a confused look overcome her features. "Did something happen?"

"Just personal curiosity." Tessa replied evasively as she grimaced and hoped that Urd didn't grow any more suspicious about her motivations.

"I will send you a book. Sure," Urd replied with a shrug. She didn't see any harm in allowing someone who had visited Hell before to learn more about the place. She did assist in saving them during the Battle For Hell.

"Thanks, I really appreciate that," Tessa replied excitedly. She didn't expect it to be that easy, and she knew that she and Urd didn't exactly get along since the Goddess was well aware of her varying feelings for Sousuke. "Do you think you would like to go out for lunch one of these days, just the two of us?" Tessa offered.

Urd scrunched up her face before calming herself again. "Sure, I would enjoy that," she replied as politely as possible.

Tessa fought back a laugh before replying. "Well, it's a date. Next time I am in the area, I will drop by and pick you up," she spoke cheerily. The forced awkwardness of their rivalry left them both struggling to present their best foot forward in their interactions.

"Sure, expect the book soon," Urd replied before hanging up the phone . She rolled her eyes and turned to face a very intently staring Skuld . "What?" she asked .

"Nothing," Skuld grinned as she placed her hands behind her back and leaned forward. She was building her courage to start an argument and Urd was familiar with her mannerisms enough to know that something was going to come out of her mouth.

"Just say it," Urd grumbled.

"No, no, no," Skuld grinned as she rocked back and forth on her heels t. "Nowhile you are sick," she teased as she continued to laugh .

Urd stared at Skuld for several seconds before lunging at her. "You think that Tessa is going to fuck Sousuke!" she howled as her hands jabbed towards the tiny Goddess. She seethed with rage that filled the room with heat.

Skuld leaped backwards with enough force to push herself into the air. She held the momentum before rolling into a back handspring that carried her far out of reach of Urd's grasp. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she blurted as she gaped in shock.

"I don't know." Urd cried out before erupting into tears. She recoiled from Skuld as she lifted her hands up towards her face. She covered her mouth in shock.

Belldandy entered the room and approached Urd calmly before extending her arms out towards Urd. She moved forward and enveloped her sister in a hug. Belldandy remained silent as Urd began to sob into her embrace. "What the hell is wrong with me?" she spluttered through thick tears.

"Come here, sit down," Belldandy urged her as she guided her towards the front room. The three made their way towards where they kept the television which was currently occupied by Keiichi.

"Out. Dweeb," Skuld barked as the three entered. She scowled and pointed towards the hallway.

Keiichi froze in mid motion as he was lifting a handful of chips to his lips. He dropped the treats back into the bowl and dusted his hands off over the contents before standing. He made eye contact with Belldandy for a moment who seemed to giving him a pleading stare. He made his way to the hall way and towards Sousuke and Urd's room.

Skuld skipped forward, grabbed the remote, and changed the channel to one of the ones she knew Urd enjoyed. A mindless soap opera appeared and she chucked the remote off to the side before grabbing some pillows and tossing them in front of the box.

Belldandy snapped her fingers and a large box of yarn and other knitting supplies appeared on the floor beside he. She deliberately positioned the box near Urd and asked her if she wouldn't mind watching the television for a few moments while she got settled.

Urd nodded as she sat down. She placed her palms under her chin and rested her elbows on her knees as she stared at the screen. It was a rerun and she knew exactly what would be coming up next. She liked this episode and she grew increasingly focused on the content as her sisters spoke to each other quietly. She didn't think anything of it when she reached into the box of yarn and withdrew a small pile of the soft string.

"Urd?" Belldandy spoke softly as she watched her sister. She had hoped that she would be enthralled with the show, and when she reached into the box it only confirmed her suspicions as to why she was behaving so strangely.

"Yea?" Urd replied as she continued to stare at the screen. Her right hand played with the yarn almost autonomously as she heaved a sigh.

"Look," Belldandy replied softly. Her voice was shaky and she seemed concerned about something important.

Urd turned to look at Belldandy. She felt a twinge of worry as she looked upon the excited face of her sister. Belldandy pointed towards her hand and she looked down to spy what she had been creating as she watched television. A small purple and red nest created from interlaced strips of yarn sat at her fingertips. While she was busy watching her show, she had began to create what appeared to be a three inch tall birds nest.

"No," Urd stated firmly as she stared at the nest she had created. "No, no, no," she chanted as she recoiled away from the yarn. "There is no way. Not right now," she continued to plead as she turned her attention on Belldandy.

Belldandy smiled softly before raising both hands up and beginning to tick off her fingers as she spoke. "Ele' has been missing for a few days now. Mood swings. Aversions to food. Cravings. Also, nesting," she spoke as her smile curled into a grin. "I think you are going to be a mother Urd."

"Oh my God!" Skuld exclaimed as she threw her hands up in the air. "You nasties made a baby!" she continued to gibber as she stood and began to pace. "I'm going to be a sister. A cousin. A niece. A niece or an uncle?" she waved her hands animatedly as her excitement grew to a fevered pace. "I have to be a role model!" she nearly screamed as she fell to her knees and gripped her head between both hands.

Urd and Belldandy both turned their attention on Skuld momentarily. Her outburst seemed to have broken the tension in the room as the pair turned back to look at each other and shared an amused laugh. "I can't be a mom," Urd reasoned.

"Did you get all those tattoos from a needle?" Belldandy questioned her as she pointed down at her arms. She reminded Urd that they only receive their tattoos after copulation and that she had quite a collection on her hands and arms.

Urd looked abashed as she held her hands up to stare at the tattoos. "We just assumed we were going to be killed any ways. Sousuke really didn't have a say in the matter any ways, I can be sort of forceful when it comes to him," she blushed as she held her left hand out to stare at the tattoo loop that circled her ring finger.

Her reverie was interrupted as she watched Skuld fall forward from her kneeling position to lay her forehead down on the ground. She spoke slowly and quietly. "Sousuke injected my sister with baby making juice," she seemed to be wrestling with some serious issues before she pulled back up into a kneeling position. "Oh, hi, my name is Skuld. Put a baby inside me," she blurted out before making a disgusted face as she pointed down at her stomach.

"All right, not helping," Urd spat at Skuld as she hefted up a roll of yarn and threw it across the room at her. The thick mash of string slammed into her face before ricocheting off harmlessly.

"Thanks, I needed that," Skuld nodded before standing and making her way over to Belldandy. She sat down next to her and lifted her hand up to inspect it. "No tattoos," she spoke to herself reassuringly without noticing the dark crimson tone that had filled Belldandy's cheeks.

"You do know that every Goddess will display her marks differently. Right?" Urd queried Skuld as she relished the look of horror that came over her face.

"Differently?" Skuld asked slowly.

"Arms, Legs, or Back. They could be ANY WHERE," Urd spoke conspiratorially as she wiggled her fingers in a threatening manner at Skuld.

Belldandy felt her cheeks filling with blood as she stared at her sisters. "I think we should focus on Urd," she blurted out as she grinned at the pair encouragingly. "That seems to be the real topic of focus," she continued as she rocked on her knees and attempted to appear as comfortable as possible.

"Do I tell Sousuke?" Urd questioned as she leaned forward to look down the hallway. She wondered if he could hear the group talking but if he did, he had not shown himself yet.

Belldandy jingled one of her bangles as she wiggled her wrist. "I have silenced our conversation," she spoke up as she pointed at her ear with her right hand. "No one knows but the three of us."

"Thanks," Urd smiled as she drew her knees up to her chest. She reached down and picked up the nest and placed it on her knees and began to stare at it. "I'm going to be a horrible mother. Just like my mom. Demons can't be moms," she blurted out as tears erupted from her eyes.

"Oh no, you will do a wonderful job," Belldandy piped up as she crawled towards Urd. She wrapped her arms around her and began to stroke her back. "You can decide how good you will do," she continued to encourage her.

"How hard can it be?" Skuld piped up from where she continued to sit. "You just say 'No, bad baby!' or 'Good baby!' depending on what they are doing," she shrugged as she held out a single finger pointed towards the ground as you might do to scold or praise a dog.

Urd fought the urge to laugh as she wiped at her tears. "Bad baby, don't chew that!' she spoke in the same tone that Skuld had used before erupting into tearful laughter. "Oh God, what am I going to do?" she moaned.

Urd stood and straightened out of her clothes. She reached down lovingly to stroke Belldandy's hair for a moment before steeling herself. She placed the nest under her arm and turned towards the hallway. "I have to talk to Sousuke," she stated firmly.

Belldandy and Skuld exchanged looks and stood as well. The pair followed at a safe distance as Urd marched down the hallway and opened the door their bedroom. "Are you done working on that paper?" she asked Sousuke as she gazed down at him as he was still sitting at his desk.

"Almost," he replied before looking up at her. He smiled as he looked up at her. "I have two more sentences." He flourished the pen a little before finalizing his paper. "I should get a computer," he stated as he placed the cap on his pen, placed his paper in a notebook, and placed the whole of it into his back pack.

Urd fidgeted nervously as she watched him. She worked up her courage and began to go over what she might tell him. "You like kids?" she thought before shaking her head. "Remember that one time when you put your kid inside me?" again she shook her head. "Every one who isn't a father, raise their hand... Not so fast Sousuke!" she grimaced.

"You all right? Still feeling bad? You are making some funny faces," Sousuke asked with deep concern in his voice as he approached Urd. He reached out and pulled her into an embrace before kissing her on the top of the head. "What can I do for you, how do I make it better?" he spoke with care and concern as he nuzzled her hair.

Urd smiled inwardly as she reached up to grab his shirt. She pulled on him firmly and buried her nose into his chest. Her heart beat rose in tempo as she huffed his scent like an addict. "We need to talk," she whispered.

"We can talk," he assured her. "I am a good listener," he whispered back "Wat her. hat do I need to do?"

Urd took another deep breathe and leaned back to look up into his eyes. "I'm hungry again." she whispered as her courage faded. She felt as though the wind in her sails had been blown out as her courage failed her. She smiled at him while inwardly kicking herself.

"Is that all?" Sousuke questioned her. He ran his fingers up into her hair and began to massage her scalp with a gentle touch as he closed his eyes. He relished how he felt when he had the chance to enjoy her body and the way touching her made all of his worries disappear. "Is there something I need to know?" he queried.

Urd bit her lip. Sousuke could read her like a book, even without the ability to read auras. He knew she was concerned about something and she knew she couldn't hide it forever. She shifted her weight from left to right several times as she let her hands slip down to grip him by the hips. "Yes," she finally stated nervously.

"What is it?" he encouraged her as he felt the urge to laugh. He wondered if Skuld had tipped his motorcycle over and Urd was afraid to tell him. He wouldn't be surprised if she was concerned about nothing, as she was want to do on the odd occasion.

Urd released her grip on his hips before taking a step back out of reach of Sousuke. She held his eyes with hers as he opened them to watch her. Urd bent the fingers of her hands into the shape of a heart that she held out in front of herself. She made sure Sousuke was paying attention before drawing her hands back and allowing her hands to rest over the top of her stomach. She looked down at her hands before looking back up at him and cracking into a nervous laugh.

Sousuke stared at her with a confused look on his face. The smile on his face slowly faded away as a look of shock washed over him. He reached out with a single finger and placed it in the middle of the heart she had formed. "Are you having a..." his words failed him.

"We are having a..." Urd encouraged him to finish the sentence. She was almost amused at the shell shocked look that Sousuke held on his face as he stared at her.

"A demon...?" Sousuke offered.

"No, an Arm Slave," Urd sighed exasperatedly. "A baby!" she growled as she looked at him like he had grown two heads. "Of course the baby will be part demon but that isn't what she will be you insensitive soldier!"

Sousuke fought back a laugh as he came to his senses. He stepped forward and pulled Urd into a deep hug that enveloped her completely. "I love you very much," he gushed before pulling away to look her in the eyes. "If the baby comes out an Arm Slave, I will know its mine," he teased.

Urd rolled her eyes. "You aren't mad or sad?" she asked tepidly. She rolled her hand up into her own hair and gripped it before wrapping her arms around herself in a hug, she hid her face in her hair. "You really want to stick around with someone like me?"

Sousuke redoubled his efforts to reassure her. He held her tighter as he kissed all over her concealed face. "I will be with you for as long as you will have me," he exclaimed. "This is a tremendous moment," he spoke up as he looked up towards the door. He noticed Skuld was holding a mirror in her hand and watching the pair from just outside the room with Belldandy also using the mirror to view them as well. They were trying to hide against the wall out of sight. He felt his chest surge with pride as she was using some of her training to spy on them.

Sousuke fell silent as he closed his eyes again. He grew contemplative as he thought about Urd, their child, and where he planned to be in their future. After several seconds of silence, Urd interrupted his reverie.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I need a job," Sousuke replied. "I have to provide for us," he spoke firmly.

Urd chuckled before looking up at him. "Unmarried, job-less, and still in school," she spoke as she grinned. "I know how to pick them."

"I can't say I did poorly in my choice of you. Beautiful, smart, and perfect in every way. I got the good deal on this one," he confirmed with a nod.

Skuld looked at Belldandy before whispering softly. "They sure are cute for a couple of nasties."


	4. Ah! A Goddess Has Worries?

Kaname lay on her side on the floor of the laboratory. She thought back on what Pallas had told her when they had first met. He had offered her a place to stay, food to eat, and a job. He hadn't lied to her. She spent each night sleeping inside the laboratory with Athena as her constant companion.

"Are you awake again, child?" the soothing voice of Athena reverberated through the room. "This is the time for you to partake in your sleep cycle, you must stay rested or you will deteriorate greatly in this hole." she urged.

Kaname remained silent as she stared at a pile of assorted gems in the corner. Each week she spent inside this living hell was counted with the delivery of a single gem stone of varying weight and size that always appeared under her pillow. Kaname sighed softly before rolling over to look at Athena. "Who are you really?" she questioned.

"I told you, I am Athena, are the children of the new Gods so forgetful?" she chuckled lightly as she brushed her hair with measured tenor. Her gracefulness knew no bounds as she could move completely silently when she had the desire to do so. Kaname hadn't even realized she was moving about.

"I'm dead, right? This is Hell and I am trapped here for all eternity, living a nightmare. Right?" Kaname questioned thoughtfully. "You are so kind to me though, why?"

Athena allowed Kaname to speak, she knew that it was helpful for a human to talk, even when the words they expelled were worthless. "No child, you are very much alive." Athena finally stated.

"Why am I here then? What are we doing?" Kaname began to cry as she curled her legs up and wrapped them in her arms. She allowed her head to roll listlessly until her nose touched the ground. She couldn't stop her tears from leaking as she fell deeper into depression. "I want to go home," she grumbled.

"I know," Athena replied. She allowed her eyes to flicker to the shackle and chain that held her to the room. "Soon, it will be all over."

"How long have you been here?" Kaname asked her, she gripped her eyes shut and they burned as she fought back the waterworks that she was predisposed to shed at her lowest moments.

"Two thousand six hundred and sixty eight years ago I was chained to this shackle," Athena replied in a whisper. Her eyes waxed over in deep thought as she flexed her fingertips. "I made a single mistake that led to this moment," she sighed wistfully.

"What was the mistake?" Kaname asked her as she gaped at the woman. She hadn't believed in mysticism when she first arrived, but the time spent within Othrys had changed her view on the world tremendously. "I want to know more about you."

Athena scoffed and crossed her legs. "Humans are always interested in the Gods when they are in trouble," she spoke through grit teeth as she stared at the young woman before her. "Each dynasty has risen and fallen with the fickle heart of man. It began with the gnashing beasts who live sealed away in the nether. They were the first and the worst. Then the era of the Titan began. They fought to seal away the first. Then we, usurped the Titans through guile and good business sense. We didn't eat our humans." she smiled for a moment. "I loved a human once," she spoke before her face fell once more.

Kaname listened intently as she watched Athena regurgitate thousands of years worth of history. She wondered if any one else alive today knew the secrets that Athena was sharing. "What happened then?" she pressed.

Athena turned her attention back on Kaname as she sighed. "We grew drunk with power. We mingled and interfered in the lives of those we were obligated to protect. New Gods and Goddesses sprang up, heroes walked the Earth, and there began a war that could have sundered this planet from the World Tree. The Titans waged a guerrilla war of attrition against us as the newcomers took our believers. It was not long before our shrines were disposed of and worship faded." she stared at the floor sadly as a shimmer of tears filled her eyes.

"You were captured?" Kaname asked slowly.

Athena shook her head. "I surrendered. I traded my freedom for the life of a human man. Pallas discovered my one weakness and took advantage of it. I gave up my eternity for servitude to protect the soul of a single person." she replied before clearing her throat. "So here we are!" she put on a cheerful face and smiled wide.

"What happened to him?" Kaname pushed softly. Her curiosity was piqued and she wanted to hear more. She found the escapism comforting.

"He lived? He died? I don't know," Athena sighed as she looked up towards the wall. "I like to believe that he met someone else, lived out his life, and his family still has roots on the planet to this day. Wouldn't it be nice?" she mused as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and draped it across her chest. She began to stroke her hair slowly as she hummed.

Kaname nodded her head as she allowed her eyes to close.

"Would you like to hear a song I used to sing him?" Athena questioned her.

"Yes," Kaname replied. She dozed off to the beautiful sound of the Goddess and her sweet song.

\scenebreak

Sousuke found himself having a difficult time concentrating in his computer science class. He had tucked several job applications into his pack and was currently reading them over as he reviewed their requirements. He sighed as he held his forehead in one hand while tapping his pen nervously on his thigh.

He wondered if he could survive as a common wage slave. He imagined what life would be like if he spent every day in a cubicle, coming home for a few hours each night, before returning to work. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to spend his time working for some random business.

He continued to flip through his job applications. Restaurant manager. Sales. Intern for Arm Slave research. He growled in frustration as he read the requirements. They expected him to work as a lackey or a slave for two years before they would consider him for a paid position. He scoffed.

Sousuke lifted the whole stack of applications up before crushing them in his hands unceremoniously. He noticed a few side ways glances in his direction as the papers rumpled into a pile. He stood and made his way to the trash can, disposed of them, and returned to his desk.

Sousuke could feel a sinking feeling in his stomach develop. He needed to line up work and soon. He would have mouths to feed and a family to provide for and he wasn't about to have to rely on someone else. Class ending pulled him from his concentrations as he stood and made his way to the front office.

"I would like to speak to a career services representative," Sousuke spoke as he approached a young lady behind the desk. She was typing at the computer but looked up and smiled as he approached. He assumed she was a student who had been hired to assist in the office.

"Sure, it'll be a few moments," the girl replied. She pressed on the bridge of her glasses with her index finger as she gestured for Sousuke to take a seat amongst a line of chairs. He sat, crossed his legs, and placed his hands in his lap as he stared straight ahead.

A short while later, Sousuke was summoned into a small and cramped office. The woman who ran the Nekomi Institute Job Placement Services division was a short woman with short hair. She wore glasses and a wide smile that seemed friendly enough.

"My name is Christine and I am here to help you any way I can Mr. Sagara," she spoke to him as she began to shuffled papers around on her desk. She motioned for him to sit and he did so.

"I am looking for a career. I am starting a family," Sousuke replied with a serious tone. The word family felt weird on his tongue and he experienced a strange jolt in the pit of his stomach.

"Congratulations!" Christine spoke cheerfully. "You are getting married?" she queried.

"Not yet," Sousuke replied. He hadn't thought about marriage. He was busy thinking about jobs, careers, and education. The idea of being married seemed foreign to him. He had tried to get married once before. Would Urd even want to get married? She was having his child, was she obligated to marry him too?

Christine extended a packet towards Sousuke that caught his attention. "These are a list of companies that are currently hiring. I saw that you had military experience in your file." she spoke in a friendly tone. "I circled a few of these jobs that are known for hiring veterans. One of them in particular just began advertising for new employees.

Sousuke allowed his eyes to travel over the papers as she spoke. "Military Adviser - Arm Slave Experience" caught his attention. He began to read the paper as she continued to speak to him. 'Advanced Dynamic Electronic Armaments is currently sourcing applications for a military adviser position. This position will require the hired to spend time in exotic locales, assist in training and education, and perform limited para-military operation actions from a leadership role.' Sousuke felt his interest rising as he set the rest of the applications down and held the Adviser application up.

"That is the newest one, it was so strange, they contacted me earlier and faxed over those documents asking if they could advertise here at the college. They knew about our Arm Slave education division and said they were willing to work with non-military applicants if necessary." Christine shrugged as she grinned at Sousuke. "Would you like to apply for this one? I recommend applying for all of them though." she spoke.

"I would but I believe I need assistance with my resume." Sousuke replied. He reached into his bag and removed a copy of his resume that he then handed to Christine. He felt self conscious as she began to read. "I joined a foreign private military company at a young age, have numerous campaigns worth of experience, and have added my experience here at Nekomi Tech." he spoke as he looked at the woman.

Christine read his resume and looked down at the application. "I think you might really fit in here, I am going to help you get this application in, and then I will call them and let them know you have applied. Hopefully we can get you in for an interview at least." she replied as she stood and motioned Sousuke to follow her. "We should fill all of this out on the computer."

Sousuke wondered what private military company he was really applying to. It was common knowledge that any military adviser position would either be for a Government or one of a handful of companies including Mithril, Amalgam, and others. He thought about contacting Tessa and asking her about the ADEA corporation, but decided against it. He didn't want to solicit help from any of his contacts in his search for a position.

"Do you know who ADEA is affiliated with?" Sousuke questioned Christine as they sat the computer and began to fill out his application. "Do they have a parent company?" he offered.

"I don't really know," Christine replied as she assisted him in filling out the documents and submitting them on line. "My understanding is that they are a brand new and independent company. The woman I spoke to stated that they had only recently started hiring from sources outside their normal channels."

Sousuke felt his ears twitch at the words 'normal channels', and immediately deduced they were a Government agency experimenting with civilian augmentation. That would mean relatively good benefits, mediocre pay, and a pension. He assumed that Government would have to be either Japan, the United States, or an ally of one of those groups. There was no way a Government antagonistic to Japan could be hiring from their colleges, at least not this openly.

Sousuke did not hesitate in filling out the on line documents, submitting his supporting papers, and providing a digital signature through their website. "I believe this company would make a good fit for me," he spoke to Christine as they finalized his packet. "What actions should I investigate next?"

"Well, it looks like it will be a waiting game. I will try to call them and see if I can't weasel you an interview," she replied as she smiled even wider. "Why don't you take some of these other applications home and fill them out?"

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied. He dreaded the idea of pinning his hopes on a single application but he had a strong desire to investigate the adviser position. "Thank you for your time and efforts in assisting me." He stood, drew up the documents he was provided, and reached out to shake her hand.

Sousuke prepared his back pack and made his way out to his bike. He thought for a moment before deciding to stop in to pick up a couple of beers before heading home. He laced his helmet to his head, latched his backpack to the rear seat and started the vehicle before making his way out of the nearly deserted school.

Sousuke was riding at a leisurely pace as he made his way towards the corner store near where they lived. He was looking forward to getting home, cracking open a few beers, and settling in with Urd for a pleasant evening. He wondered if he should or could purchase her sake, unsure of her physiology during her nesting phase.

The only sound Sousuke heard was a mangling crunch as a car darted past a stop sign and collided with the rear swing arm of his motorcycle. The rear half of the $1000$RR collapsed under the blow from the car and was sucked under the front bumper, bringing it to a sudden halt. The momentum threw him over the handlebars and he sailed through the air for several seconds before impacting with the pavement with a breathe stealing thud. Sousuke slid across the ground for almost forty feet before slowing to a stop. He immediately pushed himself up to a standing position and stumbled into the median, he prayed no one would run over him.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," he chanted as he tried to move his left arm. It dangled uselessly at his side as he bent at the waist and held his knee with his right hand. "Holy fuck," he continued to speak. A few moments later he was surrounded by the first group of responders. A group of men had filed out of a restaurant near by and were approaching him. He knew they were speaking to him but he simply couldn't register what they were saying.

The woman driving the car that had struck him sat behind the wheel with a shocked look on her face. She seemed to be unwilling to exit the vehicle as she simply gaped at him. White smoke escaped from her hood where the Honda was pinned beneath her front end.

A gentleman leaned down on one knee to face Sousuke, "Are you all right? We are calling you an ambulance," he spoke as he inspected him.

"I can't feel my arm," Sousuke replied as he shook his shoulder. The arm continued to dangle limply at his side.

"Yea, this guy is hurt really bad. He can't feel his arm," a man repeated into a cell phone as they stood around staring at him.

"You fucking bitch," Sousuke yelled as he turned to face the car that had struck him. "You god damn bitch!" he continued to yell. Several of the men moved to block him from the vehicle, but he didn't feel he could walk the few feet it would take to engage her. His anger fueled his words as he seethed and yelled.

\scenebreak

Urd dropped her glass of water on the floor of the kitchen. She felt a surge of panic and fear as her gut twisted into knots. "Sousuke!" she cried out as she began to look about the room.

Skuld, Belldandy, and Keiichi looked up from where they sat at the kitchen table. They had been waiting for the soldier to get home before serving dinner.

"What happened Urd?" Belldandy questioned her sister as she stood.

"Something happened to Sousuke, I can feel it." She spoke as she began to tear up. "My magic doesn't work. I can't go to him," she spat angrily. "I know something happened though, I can sense it."

Belldandy moved to the front room and waved her hands at the television. The screen morphed to show what should be visible from one of the mirrors on the bike. The screen showed a spider web like crack and the reflection of a smoking hood.

"That's a car hood," Keiichi spoke slowly as he stared at the carnage through the screen.

Urd screamed as she stared at the screen. She bellowed a baleful moan that made the hairs on Keiichi's neck stand on end. Skuld moved to hold Urd as she raged and cried.

A few moments later the phone began to ring. Keiichi raced to the hallway before snapping the phone up. "Yes?" he blurted into the phone. "Yes, we do know him." he continued.

"What? What is happening?" Urd yelled as she rushed towards him. She began to reach for the phone but Skuld held her back.

"OK. Uhuh. Thank you sir," Keiichi spoke into the phone before hanging up. "He is headed to the hospital in an ambulance. They said he is lucid but he can't move his arm. Some lady ran a stop sign and hit him," he explained quickly.

"Get me to the hospital. Now!" Urd growled at Keiichi. She pointed towards the door as her brow furrowed and a rage filled glaze overtook her eyes.

"I will go ahead and see if there is anything I can do, with your permission," Belldandy spoke up as she made eye contact with Urd.

Urd nodded once and watched as Belldandy touched the television screen. She faded away and Urd felt her chest pang. She was frustrated with her inability to do magic during her current state.

"I'll take Banpei," Skuld finally spoke. She looked white as a sheet as she rustled around in her pockets for a key. She withdrew the jangling pile and unhooked the key to her modified Banpei-RR motorcycle. The three made their way out of the house and towards the bikes.

Keiichi mounted his bike and started it. The bike started right up, it almost seemed to know that it was needed. Urd clambered into the side car and leaned back with her arms crossed over her chest. She looked absolutely furious.

Skuld hopped onto her Banpei-RR, inserted the key, and fired the bike up. It began to whine as the jet engines spooled up and began to hum with a low tenor. "I'll follow you," she spoke up over the din of the bikes as she pointed at Keiichi. He nodded once in return before pulling out at a safe and leisurely pace.

\scenebreak

Belldandy appeared in a room occupied by a lone child. He lay in bed with the blankets pulled up over his head with a mass of wires and tubes leading out from under the sheets towards a lazily beeping device. His pulse, oxygen levels, and assorted other information showed on the screen. A single cross lay on the nightstand next to him.

Belldandy began to exit the room but halted. She turned, approached the boy, and placed her right hand on his foot. A soft blue glow began to emanate from her palm as she charged him with healing energy. She smiled when he opened his eyes and stared at her. She forgot to control herself and her wings rose up and out as she wordlessly healed the boy.

The boy didn't speak as his eyes grew wide like saucers. He turned his head to look at the cross on the table before returning his eyes to the woman before him. His eyes never left Belldandy again as she finally hid her wings, winked, and exited the room. She was well aware that it wasn't her place to provide boons to the sick, but she was in the vicinity, and it was obviously a karmic debt that she could remove. She turned down the hall and made her way to reception where she inquired about Sousuke.

"I'm looking for a Sousuke Sagara," Belldandy spoke to the woman sitting behind the desk. She smiled sweetly as she stared at her. She could have easily made her way to him, but it was always easier to do things as a human would do in the human world. It raised less questions.

"He is being held in the emergency room, are you his...?" the woman allowed her voice to trail off as she looked at Belldandy.

"Family," Belldandy replied calmly. "I was in the area and got here first. There will be three more headed here shortly," she spoke with ease as she began to turn towards the emergency admittance section of the hospital.

"You can wait over there, and when they have him ready, they will allow immediate family to see him," the woman spoke easily as she pointed in the direction Belldandy was headed.

The emergency room appeared mostly deserted, with only a handful of individuals sitting about who appeared to be in only the most minor distress. Belldandy relaxed into a hard plastic chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she watched the door to the emergency room. She incanted a soft prayer asking for the safety of Sousuke.

Several minutes later a distressed looking Urd, Keiichi, and Skuld arrived. The three approached her immediately. "Is he all right?" Urd spoke quickly as she turned to stare at the door.

"He is being seen by the doctors. We will be allowed to see him when they have completed their inspection," Belldandy replied softly. She held her hand out to the side over one of the empty seats and nodded once, urging Urd to take a seat. "Patience Urd, Mr. Sousuke will be just fine, I am sure."

Urd huffed for a moment before resigning to her fate and taking the seat to the left of Belldandy. She plopped down hard and the noise caused several individuals in the waiting room to look up at her.

Skuld moved to the side of Urd and Keiichi sat next to Belldandy on her other side.

"I am going to take my thumbs and press them into the eye sockets of the woman who ran him over, then I am going to stir my claws around inside her head until her brains fall out of her nose," Urd growled as she held her hands out in front of herself, the claws on her thumbs began to slowly extend but she withdrew them when Belldandy tapped her leg once with an admonishing pat.

Skuld began to laugh as she stared at Urd incredulously. "I think that you would get in some trouble for that," she spoke up as she shook her head. "Could you imagine what THAT story would look like on the news back home?" The little Goddess mimicked Urd and pretended to be gouging with her thumbs as well before laughing again.

Belldandy could only shake her head before the group fell into companionable silence again. It was several minutes later before the door opened and a young girl approached the group.

"Are you Urd?" she asked as she looked at Belldandy.

"I am," Urd interrupted as she moved to her feet. Her body radiated heat as she looked down her nose at the girl. "Is Sousuke all right?" she questioned the girl as she began to enter her personal space.

"They are ready for you to come see him. He can only have two visitors at a time," the girl spoke as she shied away from Urd nervously. She seemed intimidated by the intense behavior of the Goddess.

"Take Skuld," Belldandy spoke as she waved the pair forward. "He will be most pleased to see you two," Belldandy smiled as she leaned onto the shoulder of Keiichi. "We can wait for you two here."

Skuld kicked out with her legs before hopping up out of the chair and next to Urd. "Leave it to Sousuke to get himself hurt again," she spoke as she shook her head and clucked her tongue. Skuld grinned spryly at Urd as she motioned her forward.

The young girl led the pair past the door and into the emergency room proper. Doctors bustled about as they spread open curtains to reach patients, handled paper work, and spoke to nurses and other care takers. Urd was surprised by all of the activity happening just beyond the door, when the waiting room seemed so morose and boring.

The trio made their way around a corner and to a small room currently occupied by Sousuke and a male nurse. The male nurse was sitting on a stool next to Sousuke, his hands were gloved, and he was currently attempting to debride a patch of road rash that Sousuke had attained where his riding leathers had torn.

Urd rushed past the woman and made her way over to Sousuke. She reached out to hold the hand he extended with both of hers as she began to sob.

"I am fine," Sousuke spoke comfortingly as he smiled at her encouragingly. His up turned lips looked positively diabolical in his own special way, and Urd scrunched her face as she looked at him. "We are going to get my wounds cleaned and I will be headed home today," he continued to lay motionless.

Skuld entered behind Urd at a leisurely pace before looking down at the ground where a pile of riding leathers sat. She approached his gear and picked up the jacket and pants where she inspected them. The jacket was scuffed and the leather looked to have upheld its mission of protecting his skin to the very end. The pants on the other hand seemed to have been torn on impact with the ground and a gash in the leather outlined where the road rash injury sat on his body. The helmet had a massive scratch up the back and onto the side where his ear would have been, it appeared to have done it's job well.

"I am almost done here," the man spoke quietly as he looked up at the two Goddesses. He seemed impressed with Urd and Skuld as he worked. "You are right, your girlfriend is very pretty," he smiled as he spoke to Sousuke. He finished by placing a clear gel like substance on his wound before covering it in a simple bandage. "How is the arm?" he asked one last time as he stood.

"Weak and it hurts, so that is a good sign," Sousuke replied as he wiggled the fingers on his left arm. The soldier nodded his head in thanks as Urd refused to release his hand.

"You naked under those blankets?" Skuld questioned after the man left. She waggled her eye brows at Sousuke before crossing her arms and leaning back against the wall. She had the good sense to look abashed under the fiery gaze of Urd.

"Yes," Sousuke replied as he looked at Skuld and rolled his eyes. "The leathers seem to be destroyed and I tore my shorts during the ride on my back I took," he confirmed as he looked at Skuld.

Skuld snapped her fingers and a pair of shorts and a shirt appeared on the bed, as a pair of socks and some shoes appeared on the floor. "That all right?" she asked him as she pointed at the clothing.

"It will do," Sousuke confirmed as he tried to crane his neck to look at the clothing. He could barely lift himself off the bed.

"Don't move," Urd spoke softly. She reached down and grabbed the clothing before turning to face Skuld. "You mind?"

"Oh please," Skuld replied as she pushed herself off the wall. She rolled her eyes as she approached Urd and grabbed the shirt. She walked around the bed before gripping the sheet that Sousuke was laying on. "You grab that corner and we lift evenly," she stated as the pair hefted Sousuke up into a sitting position.

Urd and Skuld helped him put his shirt on, with Skuld very carefully lifting his left arm up and into the shirt. Urd then grabbed the shorts and drew the blanket away before helping Sousuke shuffle into them. Skuld helped lift him until he was clothed. "There," she stated as they helped him lay down again.

"Thanks," Sousuke spoke with a tinge of embarrassment. "I guess you paid attention in the combat life savers class I gave you," he spoke as he smirked at her.

"You know, Shinji has one of those things," Skuld stated as she pointed at Sousukes' lap. "But his is big." She grinned wildly as Sousuke began to laugh at her. "Sorry," she mouthed at Urd with a wink.

"There is something wrong with you two," Urd spoke up as she shook her head. "You are going to give me a heart attack." She scowled at Sousuke as he rubbed at his eyes with his good hand.

Sousuke was issued a prescription for pain killers and discharged after several hours. Urd and he took a cab to return home while Skuld rode the Banpei-RR. Belldandy rode with Keiichi on his bike. During the ride, Belldandy questioned Keiichi about his riding habits and appeared much more concerned about his motorcycle than usual.

It wasn't long before the group arrived home and Sousuke made his way to the bedroom to lay down. Skuld and Urd practically carried him to the room before laying him down on the futon. "Thanks," Sousuke held up his hand and Skuld grabbed it for a moment and squeezed.

"No problems, just get well," Skuld replied as she smiled down at him. She then stood and faced Urd. "You need anything? You all right?"

"I'm fine, thanks for all the help," Urd replied. She hesitated for a moment before holding up a hand and holding Skuld back. "Thanks, really. I know you are going to do well in Valkyrie school. I believe in you," she spoke with a smile.

Skuld reached out and hugged Urd before letting her go and heading out of the room. The tiny Goddess made her way to her room and stopped at the door before turning and making her way to the hall way. She picked up the phone and began to dial a number. She waited for it to ring.

Shinji Kazama was eating a chocolate covered pretzel snack as he lounged on the floor of his dorm room. A stack of books surrounded him like small parapets as he fought valiantly to concentrate on the assignments he had been doled out. "I'd rather be fighting monsters in Hell," he hissed to himself as he perused several pages worth of mathematical formulas.

The sound of a popular love song began to play as the crumple of papers vibrating interrupted his study session. Shinji began to fumbled around under pages until he located his cell phone. He didn't stop to look at the front as the ring tone confirmed who could be calling him. "Hello!", he spoke cheerfully.

Skuld spoke gruffly into the phone as soon as she heard Shinji answer. "Hey, This is Mr. T, you gave me your number last night, heard you like my necklace," she fought back a laugh.

"Funny Skuld, how are you doing?" Shinji rolled his eyes as he shook his head.

"No fool, this is Mr. T, I heard you got a real pretty mouth," she continued before cracking up into laughter. She couldn't contain herself any longer and she snorted into the phone.

"Very funny," Shinji replied as he sat cross legged on the floor. He reached down and picked up another pretzel stick before placing it between his teeth and nibbling. He waited for the little Goddess to calm down.

"So let me finish the whole thing before you freak out, but Sousuke got hit by a car," Skuld spoke quickly, she continued as soon as she heard Shinji gasp. "He is fine, totally OK. He is home and in bed with Urd, gross, but really he is fine," she spoke as quickly as possible.

"Oh my God," Shinji replied as he stood. "What can I do?" he questioned her.

"Is your room mate there?" Skuld questioned him.

"Yes," Shinji replied as he looked over to the other half of the room. He spied his dorm mate working at a lap top with a look of concentration on his face.

Skuld fussed with the phone cord as she bit her lip. She made a thinking noise as she listened to Shinji breathing softly on the other side of the line. "I'm going to rent a hotel room near your dorm and I will come pick you up in a bit," she finally spoke.

"Hotel dorm do what?" Shinji blurted out as he turned to face his back towards his now staring room mate. "Tonight?"

"Yea, is that all right with you?" Skuld questioned him in a tone of voice that dripped insecurity. "I am going to be leaving for Valkyrie training any time now and I don't feel like sleeping alone tonight. I won't even make you sleep on the floor," she continued.

"Yes," Shinji spoke firmly. "Sure, yes, I'll be waiting outside for you," he confirmed as he began to pack up his homework and stuff the loose papers into the maw of the books.

"I'll be there soon," Skuld replied before withdrawing the key to her Banpei-RR. She hung up the phone and made her way to the common room of the house. She located Sousukes' helmet and hefted it up, it was a bit big but she was able to shrink it using her magic. She gripped the helmet and pulled it down over her head before cinching it up. She knew she didn't need the helmet, but it felt like something she needed to do. A show of solidarity for Sousuke.

Skuld wiggled her head around in order to get a better feel for the helmet before picking up the jacket and putting it on, it was over sized on her petite frame. She left it the same size and simply pinned back the massive sleeves. She then located a pen and paper and left a note stating that she would be out until tomorrow and not to wait up for her.


	5. Ah! A Goddess Has No Shame?

Belldandy busied herself in the kitchen as she waited for the rest of the members of the house hold to stir. She held a spatula in one hand and a single egg in the other as she stood in front of a heating pan on the oven. A few moments later she was cracking the egg on the edge of the spatula and tossing the contents into the pan to sizzle. She repeated the action several times until she felt she had enough for each member of the house.

The Goddess hummed softly as she tossed bacon to the side of the pan and began to roll the pan around, allowing the bacon grease to coat the eggs. She decided that a hearty comfort food breakfast was warranted considering the circumstances. She snapped her fingers and the fridge opened and a bottle of orange juice floated out slowly. The cap popped off and the bottle began to tip out its contents into several glasses that had been left on the counter. The flying bottle then recapped itself and flew back into the fridge.

Belldandy could hear the stirring of Keiichi as he made his way from his bedroom to the bathroom. She could hear Sousuke opening the door to their bedroom as Urd complained and groaned. She couldn't hear Skuld though. She hoped she wasn't feeling poorly.

"Good morning," Sousuke spoke as he hobbled into the kitchen. He wore a sling for his arm and was bent at the waist. He grimaced as he pulled back his chair and sat slowly.

"Good morning, are you feeling any better?" Belldandy questioned as she looked at him. She smiled sweetly before picking up a glass of juice and carrying it over to sit it in front of him.

"Much better, thank you," Sousuke replied. He flexed his left hand inside the sling several times before stopping abruptly. He seemed to be in much more pain than he let on.

"Morning," Keiichi yawned as he too entered the kitchen. He stretched his arms over his head before sitting at the table as well. "It smells great this morning," he sniffed the air several times before wiping at his mouth with the back of his arm, just in case he had began drooling.

"Sousuke, I told you to wait for me, so I could help you put on your shirt," Urd grumbled as she entered the room rubbing her eyes. She shot an exasperated look at her charge before pulling out a chair and sitting next to him. Her hair was messy and she wore a pair of pants and a shirt that belonged to Sousuke. Her inability to use magic was taxing her as she found it foreign to have to dress herself like a human.

"I forgot," Sousuke replied as he scratched at his cheek. He grinned slyly at her, which only made her more exasperated.

"Where is Skuld?" Keiichi questioned as Belldandy finished serving the plates. Her normally filled seat was empty, which was very uncharacteristic for Skuld.

Belldandy stood and made her way down the hall, knocked twice on Skuld's door, and waited. After several seconds without an answer she pushed the door open and peered inside. The room was filled with electronics and military paraphernalia, but there didn't seem to be any sign of Skuld.

"Skuld?" Belldandy questioned before closing the door and looking about the house. She entered several more rooms, calling out her name each time, until she made her way back to the kitchen. "Skuld is missing," Belldandy spoke with worry in her voice.

Sousuke snorted before placing his right hand on the table. He heaved himself up and hobbled over to the window, pulling the blinds apart with his thumb and forefinger he peered out at the parking area for the bikes. "Her bike is gone," he stated before turning and making his way over to the telephone in the hallway. He lifted the note and read it silently for a moment.

"What does it say?" Urd asked as she watched him.

Sousuke replied as he lifted the telephone handset and placed it on the table. He pressed the "redial" button with his good hand and then picked up the handset. "She said she went out and for us not to worry."

"What?" Belldandy asked incredulously as she crossed her arms and scowled at Urd. "What got into her?" she continued to speak as Sousuke looked at her with the handset pressed to his ear.

Skuld grumbled as the sound of a song jerked her awake. She looked across the bed at a cell phone gently tumbling towards the edge as it vibrated and made noise. "Kill it... Kill it with fire," she groaned as she lifted her arm from Shinjis chest and pointed at the phone.

Shinji continued to sleep so she leaned her head forward and bit him on the shoulder. The action rewarded her with a very much awake Shinji as he squeezed her tighter with one arm against her bare back while trying to pry her head off of him with the other.

"Ow!" he cried out before turning and looking at the phone. He stopped pushing on Skuld's forehead with his right hand before swiveling and reaching out to pick up the phone. He showed the number to Skuld before pressing the button and answering it. "Hello?" he stuttered.

Sousuke paused for a moment before asking very calmly into the handset, "Is Skuld there?" He could hear a feminine voice in the background quietly giving orders under her breath.

"No," Shinji spoke unenthusiastically as he lied at the behest of Skuld. She had stated very plainly that he should be "very careful" in how he replied to Sousuke. So he simply denied she was even there.

"Right," Sousuke replied. He thought for a moment before continuing. "If she is safe, I want you to reply with the words 'I love Arm Slaves', is that clear?"

"I love Arm Slaves," Shinji replied quickly.

"Thanks," Sousuke spoke before hanging up. He shrugged. "She seems to be fine. She is with Shinji, they apparently were together," he began to make his way past Belldandy and back towards the plate of food that he wanted so badly.

"Excuse me Mr. Sousuke," Belldandy spoke up as she watched him retreat to the kitchen. She smiled so wide that her eyes were shut, she was obviously upset and trying very hard not to make it obvious. "Can you elaborate?" she continued.

Sousuke turned, looked at her, and shrugged before turning back to the kitchen and making his way to his seat. He watched Urd slide into her seat beside him and before he could reach for his fork she had snatched it up and began feeding him. He wanted to laugh but he simply humored her.

"I am going to go get her," Belldandy growled as she stood in the doorway to the kitchen.

Sousuke swallowed before speaking up, "She will be home soon. Just let her come back by herself or you might upset her," he stated before Urd slipped another fork full of egg into his mouth. He chewed quickly before swallowing as Urd was quickly shoveling another load towards him.

"I don't think I care if she is upset," Belldandy replied, her creepy cheerfulness was unsettling to the group as they watched her bottle up her rage.

"Maybe you should have a seat and eat first," Keiichi spoke up as he slipped past Belldandy and took his seat. He began to eat as well as he watched his Goddess carefully.

Belldandy grumbled before pulling the seat back and sitting. She grabbed her fork firmly as she clenched her teeth and began to crush the eggs up before picking them up with a scooping motion and jamming them into her mouth. She chewed a little too loudly as she stared at Sousuke with a maniacal grin on her face.

Sousuke darted his eyes about in an effort not to make eye contact with her as he stared straight ahead. He felt distinctly uncomfortable as the group continued to eat in silence. He struggled to keep a straight face as Urd began to rub a strip of bacon across his lower lip while Belldandy huffed harder and harder.

"Oh Sousuke, eat me," Urd whispered as she pressed the bacon against his face. Sousuke recoiled and began to laugh before straightening up with a pained look on his face. He shifted his gaze at Urd as she and Keiichi began to laugh as well.

"This is no laughing matter," Belldandy barked exasperatedly. She set her fork down hard on the table before standing up and scowling at each of them in turn. "Skuld isn't old enough to be staying over with a man," she spat as she turned on Urd in hopes of receiving some form of confirmation.

"Skuld is one hundred and thirty seven years old," Urd replied as she looked at Belldandy.

"That is almost a thousand dog years," Sousuke offered as he bit down into another strip of bacon. He smiled encouragingly at Belldandy as Urd confirmed with a nod.

"More than old enough for doggy style," Keiichi spoke quietly. He grinned as he stared down at the table abashed.

"Ah! I'm hit," Sousuke cried out in laughter as he held his arm tight. His eyes filled with tears as he began to laugh so hard he was choking. The pain of the laughter causing him to grimace as he fought to contain himself. Urd joined him in uproarious laughter as she pointed at Keiichi, her breath stolen from her by his comment. "You got me," Sousuke spluttered to Keiichi as he bent at the waist and continued to laugh.

Belldandy slapped both of her hands on the table before rounding on Keiichi. "Mr. Keiichi, I am appalled!" she admonished him as he sheepishly looked up at her.

"Bell, I'm sorry," he spoke between chuckles as he shot furtive glances at Urd and Sousuke laughing. The entire table was shaking as each of them shook with laughter.

The sound of the jet powered motorcycle that Skuld rode filled with air with a high pitched whine as she pulled into the yard. Urd began to shush every one at the table as they attempted to recompose themselves.

Sousuke leaned back in his seat, still cradling his arm as he stared at a particularly interesting point in the ceiling of the kitchen. Urd crossed her legs and leaned against Sousuke, she held out her left hand and began to inspect her nails very carefully with a serious look on her face. Keiichi stared down at his empty plate with his hands under the table clasped together.

Belldandy stood with a furrowed brow and slit eyes as she crossed her arms and held a angry grin. She ground her teeth together as she waited for Skuld to enter the kitchen. Belldandy radiated heat as her ears twitched every time one of the three in the room with her fought back laughter or snorted.

"Hey guys," Skuld spoke up as she entered the room. She held Sousukes' helmet under her arm and she narrowed her gaze as she eyed their strange behavior. "You guys all right?" she asked cautiously as she noticed how oddly posed each of them were in relation to Belldandy.

Urd grunted softly in greeting as Sousuke closed his eyes and lifted his right hand to wave at her. Keiichi could only nod his head a few times.

"Look what the cat drug in," Belldandy growled as she rounded on Skuld. She pointed at the now cold platter of food and grin maniacally. "Sit and eat, my dear sister," she spoke through grit teeth as she pulled back the seat.

Sousuke grunted as Urd whispered the words "The dog drug in", causing Keiichi to place his left hand over his face and lean forward harder. His shoulders shook violently as he opened his mouth and placed his hand into it and began to bite down.

Skuld noticed their increasingly odd behavior and thought to inquire about it but ignored it and took her seat. She tasted the eggs before moving to stand, but she froze as Belldandy snapped her fingers and the food became uncomfortably hot.

"Eat," Belldandy commanded in a devilishly friendly way.

"Thanks," Skuld replied as she looked up at her, she unzipped the leather jacket she wore and shrugged out of it before allowing it to hang off of the back of the chair. She could feel Belldandy staring at her in an attempt to identify any new marks. She ignored her pointedly as she hefted her fork and began to eat.

Belldandy reached down and picked up the helmet that Skuld had sat on the floor next to her seat. She looked at it before rounding on Sousuke. "Did you send her out last night? What is she doing wearing this trash?" Belldandy barked.

Sousuke sobered quickly before looking at her. Urd turned stony as she faced Belldandy. Keiichi looked positively fearful as the three began to square up in anger.

Skuld stood up angrily and held out her arms before spinning them over from front to back several times. She then shrugged out of her shirt and the pair of pants she was wearing before turning and pointing at her boy short covered butt. "Nothing, see?" she spat at Belldandy. "Sousuke didn't encourage me to do anything. I am a grown woman and I can do what ever it is I want," Skuld yelled as she stepped out of her pants and bent to pick them up. She then tossed her clothing over her should before reaching out and yanking the helmet from Belldandy and hefted the jacket up as well. She held her clothes up over her chest before marching out of the room in a fit.

Keiichi was red in the face as he looked at Belldandy. He seemed embarrassed by her behavior. "Maybe you need to calm down a little?" he asked her softly as he held up his hands in an attempt to placate her. He had never seen Belldandy so bothered and wasn't entirely sure how to handle it.

Skuld approached her door and it opened without touch, it slammed hard before she passed the entrance and it closed behind her with much the same force. She tossed her clothing across the room before setting the helmet down softly on the bed. She held her hands in tiny balled fists as she breathed hard and stared at the mirror in her room. She wiped at her eyes for a moment before stepping forward with her left foot and lifting her arm straight up. A small red rose on a bed of thorny vines was visible on the muscles just above her arm pit, her first tattoo from physical contact. She stroked it a few times with her finger tips before setting her arm down and hiding it once more.

A knocking sound caused her to whirl around and face the door, she didn't answer as she waited for the person bothering her to identify themselves. She felt a strong desire to rage and scream but settled with barking an angry "Who is it?" in the direction of the door.

"Can I come in please?" Belldandy replied. She had the good sense to sound suitably defeated as she waited for Skuld to answer her.

"Ugh!" Skuld moaned as she threw her head back and allowed her shoulders to slump dejectedly. She picked up a shirt off of the ground and pulled it over her head before moving to the door and throwing it open to glare at Belldandy. "What?" she snapped.

"I want to apologize for getting upset with you and I was wrong," Belldandy spoke calmly as she looked at her sister. "I just don't want you to do something you are going to regret later, I really do love you," she continued as she continued to speak.

Skuld nodded her head as she averted her eyes from Belldandy. She felt a strong desire to show her the mark under her arm but she decided against it. It wasn't the right time to admit that she and Shinji had done more than sleep. She simply couldn't bring herself to explain to Belldandy what she did.

"I accept your apology but you need to understand that I am a adult and I can make my own decisions," Skuld sighed as she drew her eyes to Belldandy.

"I respect that, just be cautious, please," Belldandy nodded once before turning and walking away. Skuld noticed that her eyes were puffy and red and she pawed at them with her wrist once she faced her back to her.

"Hey Bell," Skuld called out as she drew her arms around her own body and hugged herself.

"Yes?" Belldandy inquired as she turned to face Skuld.

"Thanks," Skuld replied softly.

\scenebreak

Marller took a deep breathe as she gripped a black leather satchel in her hands. She was wearing her favorite pants suit and kept a pen tucked behind her ear. She stood nervously in front of the door to the inner chambers of the castle. She had worked with Hild for a long time but she was still impressed and intimidated every time she had to present herself to the Lord of Demons.

The door opened noiselessly and it surprised Marller. Hild must have known she was dawdling at the entrance, and this was her polite method of informing her to get on with it. She reached up and adjusted her collar with one hand before taking one more deep breathe. She stepped into the room and walked purposefully past rows of demonic creatures.

"Marller! How are you dear?" Hild spoke excitedly as she stood from her seat at the head of a massive U shaped table made of red wood. "Do you have good news for me?" she continued as she extended her hand and motioned for her to take a seat at the table within the U bend directly in front of Hild.

"I do," Marller spoke confidently as she placed the satchel down on the table, jimmied the zipper open, and withdrew a stack of papers. She sorted through several folders before placing one in front of Hild. "This is our agreement documentation that will need to be signed for us to go forward with the hiring process," she stated as she pointed at the papers.

"Another reassurance that we won't pluck from Valhalla?" Hild rolled her eyes as she pulled up a pen and began to read. "Swear that we won't remove warriors from the halls of the slain, no contact, and fair and equal distribution during the end times of Ragnarök," she spat the words as she stared at them. "Plenty of dead warriors itching to work, and we have to go through with this scheme because 'Oh, my souls rights!', I hate these bureaucratic idiots."

Marller chuckled as she drew out another pile of contracts with the Mithril letter head plaster across them. "Mithril will be providing us with a level of consulting, but the majority of day to day operations will be managed through our shell company, ADEA," she spoke as she held out another contract. "It is expected that they will provide up to three years of advisory assistance, but we shouldn't really need them after two."

"The exchange rates between Hell and Earth are still really strong, eh?" Hild grinned as she looked at the cost of the contract. She had no issues with providing the wealth necessary from their budget to cover the cost of taking Mithril into retainership. "Seems almost criminal how cheap this is," she continued to speak as she thumbed over the pages of the contract.

"Agreed," Marller replied as she watched Hild finisher signing the documents and stamping them with a signet ring. They officiated the contract and it was returned to the satchel. "I have a stack of resumes ready to review. I have a REALLY interesting one too," she spoke quietly as she leaned towards Hild.

"How interesting?" Hild asked as she stood to walk Marller to the door. Hild slowly floated up and over the U bend of the table before landing next to Marller. She motioned forward and began to guide her towards the door.

"Sousuke," Marller replied bluntly. She felt her lip twitch in delight as Hild shot her a look that oozed excitement. "I don't think he knows that it is us, since he applied through his school."

"How positively intriguing that we could advertise our position where someone like him might see it," Hild nodded as she feigned surprise. "The initial interviewers will include Tessa, a 'neutral' Goddess, and yourself?"

"Lind is her name," Marller confirmed. "I wouldn't call her neutral. She has been ordered to over see the hiring process and assist in providing an 'independent' review of our processes," Marller grumbled as she reached up to run her fingers through her hair. "We have interacted with her before."

"Oh! I remember," Hild nodded as she reached out and opened the door. "I trust you to pick the best fit and manage this Goddess issue as best as you can," Hild smiled before gesturing to the exit with her wrist.

"My Lord," Marller replied before bowing and exiting. She held the satchel close to her body and made her way through the castle, her eyes darting over the reconstruction they had completed. Eventually she made her way into a nearly deserted atrium, manned by a single decrepit fiend.

"Ma'am," the hobbling and bent demon spoke as he bent at the waist and flourished his hands towards her. "What can this lowly creature do for such a specimen of true demon beauty?"

Marller rolled her eyes and grinned before heaving the satchel onto the counter. She slid it towards the horned creature before her and began to provide her orders. "I need this delivered to heaven, care of a Goddess named Lind," she explained as she pointed at the leather bag. "In addition, I need you to make a copy and forward it on to a Tessa Testarossa of Mithril. Understand?"

The demon flashed a toothy smile at her as he nodded his head. "Any thing for the Lords favorite," he spoke before bowing again. He reached up with his clawed hands and gathered up the satchel before shoving it up into his under arm. "Does the Mistress desire any thing else?" he spoke as he waggled his eye brows at her.

"That will do," she replied before turning and exiting the room. She still had numerous resumes to review before deciding on exactly where they planned to interview the applicants. She had a very busy schedule and needed to get started as soon as possible.

\scenebreak

Skuld lay on her back in her bedroom, the lights were dim and the only noise she could hear was the soft electric hum of one of her numerous devices she had created over the years. She stood and eye balled her clock. It showed that it was much too early to be awake and she contemplated holding her eyes shut until she fell asleep or morning came.

"Screw it," she huffed quietly. The tiny Goddess stood and made her way to her closet. She opened it and peered inside at the shadowy objects within. She finally located a spool of telephone cord that she snaked her arm through. She walked to the door and took a deep breath before pressing against the door firmly in order to load the mechanism. She then slowly pressed it back until the door opened fully without a sound. She grinned to herself.

The house was silent but for the normal noises that filled the air. She could hear a water heater burbling, a fan rotating softly in Keiichi's room, and a gentle breeze rustling trees out in the garden. She continued to listen for several minutes before her curiosity was satisfied and she made her way to the phone in the hallway.

Skuld knelt and crawled under the table, she extended her fingertips outwards and began to feel against the wall until she located the phone jack. She unhooked it and replaced the cord with the massive spool she carried. She then hooked the phone itself up to the other half of the line and began to unwind the device out until she was able to return it to her room. A single long stretch of telephone cord led from the hallway to her room like a plastic bread crumb trail.

She shut the door and sat on the floor. She then cast a silencing spell on her blanket and pulled it up and over herself and the phone. It wasn't nearly as strong as Belldandy could muster, but with the extra precautions she expected it to be effective enough. She then dialed the only number she cared to call.

Shinji jerked awake as his phone wiggled under his pillow. He moved swiftly and withdrew the device before answering it with a whisper. He could see his room mate sleeping in the dark in the bed across from him. He hoped that he wouldn't disturb him with his nocturnal habits.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Skuld questioned as she heard the comforting voice of Shinji whisper a curt "Hi," from the other line. She knew it was wrong to disturb him but she couldn't help herself. She was in dire need of his attention and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep without hearing his voice one more time.

"Trying to sleep, like you should be doing," Shinji replied softly. She could hear he was smiling even though she knew she was bugging him. "Are you all right?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"I just wanted to talk?" Skuld questioned him. She sounded as unsure of her own motivations as he appeared to be. She felt like she couldn't wrap her mind around why she would want to lay awake, hidden under a blanket, deep into the night, hoping for a chance to speak to him.

"I miss you," Shinji whispered as he sighed. "I feel weird laying in this bed by myself now," he continued as he shot a furtive glance in the direction of his still slumbering room mate. He didn't want to be bothersome, but there was zero chance he was going to pass up a chance to speak to Skuld.

"How angry do you think Belldandy would be if I use magic to travel to you?" she questioned rhetorically.

"On a scale of rage to murder?" Shinji asked.

Skuld snorted softly. She knew that Belldandy loved her and that she was only hoping to protect her, but she was too old for that now. "I want to stick it to you," she spoke quietly.

Shinji felt his throat constrict as his entire face and neck tightened. He wanted to cough and splutter but he controlled himself until he could breath. "Do what?" he whispered back to her.

"Let's just run away and spend the rest of our life being nasties. We can just be nasty until we die," Skuld chuckled. She could hear Shinji breathing harder on the line. She couldn't help but tease him. It was too easy.

"What kind of nasty?" Shinji questioned as he bit down on his lip. He felt his forehead growing damp as he began to run his memories of Skuld over and over in his mind. He could smell her as he ran the hand not holding the phone over his face. He tugged on his own nose as he fought to suppress his memories of her. He could feel his body reacting.

"Super nasty," Skuld giggled as she fidgeted. She thought back to the night they spent only a few hours ago and wondered why she was alone in her room, when she could be there again. She closed her eyes and remembered how his lips felt against hers. She curled her left hand into her own hair before tugging, just to remember the feeling.

"What are you wearing right now?" Shinji asked slowly. He instantly felt regret as the words had slipped from his lips without thought. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, and even though they had shared the night together, he dreaded the thought of causing her discomfort.

"A shirt and some underwear," Skuld replied without hesitation. "The shorts are red," she offered without prompt. She grinned before hissing the words "Very Nasty" between her lips. "What are you wearing?" she growled.

"Just a pair of sweat pants," Shinji replied. "The blue ones," he continued.

"Gross. I hate those ones," Skuld grimaced playfully. "You should take them off," she continued.

"Hold on," Shinji spoke. He placed the phone down on his pillow before shimmying out of his sleep wear. He kicked the pants out from under the covers and let them fall to the floor, pinned between the sheets and bed frame itself. The sheets themselves felt soft and cool on his body. He paused to look towards the figure of his sleeping room mate. He hadn't stirred.

"Did you really take them off?" Skuld spoke up, she wanted to laugh at how incredulous it was.

"Yea," Shinji whispered back. He wiggled his legs up and down as he enjoyed the feeling of his sheets on his nude body.

"Should I take mine off?" Skuld thought aloud as she put her free hand over her face. She could feel her skin warming as she grew red in the face.

"Yea," Shinji encouraged her. "Take it off," he grinned.

"OK. Hold on," she replied before setting the phone down. She scooted up off the ground and unhooked her underwear from around her waist. She shimmied out of them before setting them down next to her on the floor. She then picked up the phone again and said "Back".

"Did you really?" Shinji questioned her. His shoulders ached and his legs and hips seemed to have developed a mind of their own. "What should we do next?" he questioned her.

The pair continued their word play well into the night until both were as satisfied as they could be with their present situation. Skuld lay on her back as she waited for her legs to stop tingling as she breathed hard into the phone. Her entire body felt soaked in sweat and she couldn't help but fall into and out of deep body shaking giggles as she heard Shinji practically cry out.

"Fuck," Shinji spat as he ran his finger tips over his chest. He sighed contently before closing his eyes and falling into the same breathy rhythm as Skuld. "Are you all right?" he questioned as he fought down a yawn.

"Yea," Skuld replied. "Time to sleep, thanks for the help," she spoke to him sweetly.

"Good night, visit soon, please," he replied. The pair finally hung up and Shinji rolled over to put the phone back on the night stand. He froze as his eyes caught the raised arm of his room mate. He was holding a single thumb up in the air before lowing back slowly into his sleeping position.

Shinji rolled over to his face back to his room mate and stared at the wall. He didn't know what else to do.

Skuld stood shakily. She wanted to go right to sleep but decided she would return the phone to it's original state. She ignored her clothing and excited the room in the nude as she gathered up the cord and made her way back to the hall way desk. She knelt, replaced the old cord, and repositioned the phone. She turned and made her way back to her room before climbing into bed and falling to sleep almost instantly.


	6. Ah! A Goddess Takes A Ride?

Sousuke groaned as he awoke. His arm was throbbing and he could feel the side of his face was wet where he had drooled in his sleep. He had rolled over at some point in the night and slept on his bad shoulder until his body had awoken him with excruciating pain. He let out one more moan before pushing himself over onto his back. His jaw hurt where he had clenched it in his sleep.

"Are you all right?" Urd questioned softly. She laid on her side and watched him with a deep look of concern on her face. She hesitated before reaching out and placing her palm to his cheek, she rubbed slowly at his jaw line. Urd sighed contently as she stared at Sousuke, she was happy with her choice of human.

Sousuke shot her a grimacing smile as he relaxed into her touch. "What do you see?" he questioned her as he held her eyes in his. "You must see the world in a completely different way than I do," his voice trailed off as she leaned forward to capture his lips. They kissed deeply.

Urd finally released his mouth before her gaze grew contemplative. She considered his words and wondered why she was so happy. "I don't know, I just feel right," she replied as she rested her head on the palm of her hand. She grinned wide and wrinkled her nose. Sousuke found it adorable.

"I applied for a job as an educator," Sousuke blurted it out. Her joy was contagious and he wanted to share something good with her. He didn't want to complain about his pains, but wanted to share a dream with her. He rested his head on the pillow and stared up at her as he waited to hear her reply.

"That's fantastic," Urd looked at him as her eyes danced with excitement. "What do you plan to teach?" she questioned as she rolled over to lay on her stomach. She folded her hands under her chin and drew herself to eye level with Sousuke. She reached out with her feet and rested them against his legs. Urd grinned before leaning forward to kiss the tip of his nose.

"Not sure yet," Sousuke replied evasively. He smiled back before puckering his lips and winking at her. Urd lunged forward to capture his mouth with hers at his beckoning. The pair kissed deeply until the Goddess pulled herself up to a kneeling position. Sousuke smiled wider as Urd drew her shirt up and over her head before tossing it towards the door. The offending garment smacked the door with a thud before slowly sinking to the ground.

"How do I look?" Urd questioned him as she drew both hands up into her hair and lifted her elbows. She pressed out her chest as she curved her back and pouted her lips sexily.

Sousuke stared. He had difficulty processing how someone as beautiful as Urd could seem to be so in love with him. "You are stunning in every way," he replied. "The perfect woman," he stopped as she interrupted him.

"Goddess," Urd winked at Sousuke. She couldn't help but correct him as she relished in his breathy reassurance of her attractiveness. She liked compliments and she liked them best when they came from Sousuke. He wasn't the type of give them freely, but when she wanted them, she knew what buttons to press. Urd drew her hands down from her hair and ran them down her chest. She circled her breasts before pulling them up and allowing them to bounce. The moment she released them she drew her hands down her stomach and stopped at the edge of the shorts she was wearing.

Sousuke grew silent as he watched her. His gaze grew ever more intense as his eyes dropped from her chest to her belly button. "I don't think that things could be more perfect," Sousuke whispered as he reached out with his right hand. He placed it on her knee and used his thumb to circle her soft skin slowly. His eyes darted back up to her eyes and he felt his body relax as he gripped her skin between his fingers and softly tugged, hoping to beckon her closer.

Urd reacted to his touch and lifted her bottom up and off of her heels. She stood and drew her shorts off before gently tossing them to the side. The leggy Goddess turned to face away from him and leaned her head back to allow her long hair to drape down her back before reaching to tug it over her shoulder. She took a slight step out until she stood with her feet shoulder length and bent at the waist. She looked back at Sousuke with a cheeky grin from around her waist.

Sousuke felt his eyes grow wide as he watched her. He couldn't help but reach his hand out towards her. He felt as though his body were compelled to act of its own volition. There was nothing he wanted more than her at that moment. "Come to me," he begged her as he began to ache.

Urd giggled before turning to face him. She took a single step back before raising her hands over her head, closing her eyes, and beginning to sway to a tune in her head. Her hips rocked back and forth as she undulated rhythmically. The Goddess began to hum softly as she teased him, allowing her hands to run up and down her body to the tune of some song he couldn't place.

Sousuke watched as she turned to face her back to him again. Her brown skin practically glowed in the morning light as she continued to dance for him. He had never seen a sight so beautiful as a Goddess wanting to please. He felt his mouth dry as he left it ajar.

Urd finally twirled back to face him and closed the distance between them. She stepped over his prone body before placing her feet under his arm pits. The Goddess grinned wide as she stared down at him, her lithe legs parted a little more than shoulder length apart.

Sousuke had the strongest urge to adjust himself as he stared up at her body. He tried to keep his eyes on hers, but he couldn't help but let them be drawn to other parts of her body. He breathed hard as he allowed his right hand to snake its way up her leg until his finger tips rested on her hip. "I love you dearly," he groaned.

Urd giggled. She drew her hands down her body again before allowing one of her hands to gently run over Sousukes' reaching hand. She smiled before returning to dancing, she would look down at him as she moved her body. She slowly allowed her body to dip lower and lower, allowing herself to dip almost casually over his face before returning to a standing position.

Sousuke felt his neck crane as he watched her. He could feel his heart racing as she teased and intrigued him. He wanted to ravish her but he could barely move. He could smell her body and the scent was intoxicating. His mind felt foggy as he attempted to absorb every thing he was seeing.

Urd drew her feet up and placed them on either side of his shoulders before kneeling down. She reached back with her left hand to rest it on his chest as she reached between her legs to grab a handful of his hair. Her back curved and her neck arched as she began to groan.

Belldandy snapped her gaze from Keiichi to the hallway. She fell silent from the conversation she was having in the kitchen to scowling in the direction of Urd and Sousuke. She could hear Urd screaming for mercy as the pair behaved in a most undignified way.

Skuld entered the kitchen with her index fingers in her ears as she approached the fridge stoically. She nodded once in the direction of Keiichi as she purposefully refused to make eye contact with Belldandy. "Super nasties," she spoke through a smirk as she attempted to open the fridge with her foot. She fumbled and hopped several times before growing impatient and reaching out with her right hand. Urd took that moment to cry out with some interesting profanity and Skuld fought back a laugh.

"We haven't even had breakfast yet and they are at it again," Belldandy huffed as she crossed her arms. "I have half a mind to put a stop to this," she continued to speak as she turned her gaze on Keiichi. She expected him to support her attitude but he busied himself in a bowl of cereal he had poured. She was shocked when he didn't look up at her or even acknowledge her outrage.

"The early Urd catches the worm," Keiichi whispered. He felt his cheeks pulling into a suppressed smile as Skuld snorted at his comment. He looked at her and the pair made eye contact, sharing in their joke.

"Mr. Keiichi!" Belldandy spoke up as she stared incredulously at him. "How could you say something like that?" she asked.

Keiichi shrugged before digging back into his bowl. "They love each other and that is what couples in love do," he stated softly.

Belldandy felt as though a knife had cut through her heart. She felt her shoulders grow heavy and cold a she processed his words. "Do you think I don't love you?" she questioned him. Belldandy felt distinctly uncomfortable as Skuld began to watch her.

"I know you love me and I love you," Keiichi replied. He released his spoon in the bowl and turned his attention on Belldandy. The three pointedly ignored Urd's ecstatic exclamations. "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do, all right?" he continued.

Belldandy sighed before standing up from the table. She turned and made her way out of the kitchen and towards her bedroom. The door to her room opened as she approached it and closed softly as she entered.

Skuld clucked her tongue as she shook her head. "Come on man," she spoke at Keiichi. "You know that the whole love-love thing isn't going to fly with her, she was the one talking about letting your marry someone else, remember?" Skuld spoke up. She returned to rummaging in the fridge until she located something she had wanted. She closed the door to the fridge and made her way to the table. "Go," she barked as she pointed at the hallway.

Keiichi stood and made his way down the hallway. The sounds emanating from Sousuke and Urd's room were no longer finding their way out towards him. He stopped in front of the room occupied by Belldandy and knocked several times. "Bell, can I come in? Please," he spoke softly. He waited for an answer but didn't hear her. "Bell?"

The door slid open and Keiichi gazed into the room. He could see Belldandy sitting with her back turned to him on the floor. Her shoulders were slumped and he could hear her crying softly. He hesitated a moment before entering the room and closing the door. "Bell," Keiichi spoke softly as he approached her. He sat beside her and reached out to place a single hand on her back.

"Every thing is wrong," Belldandy choked out as she faced Keiichi. Her eyes were puffy and she had bright tear streaks down her face that glimmered in the light as she looked up at Keiichi. "Urd is doing every thing we were taught not to do, Skuld is running away to spend time with a man, and I am treating you wrong," she gushed. The words that slipped from her lips seemed to cause something in her to click, and she erupted into a torrent of tears.

"No, it's not like that at all," Keiichi spoke up as he turned to face her. He tried to pull her into a hug but she refused to budge. The pair turned to silence as he rested his chin on his open palms and watched her. He could feel himself growing frustrated by her refusal to interact with him. He wasn't sure of how to act with her attitude.

"It is," she finally spoke. "When have we ever trusted Hild? You mean to tell me, Sousuke 'saved' her?" she questioned him slowly as she stared at him. "When has Hild ever needed to be saved?" she continued.

"I don't know, I don't even remember what happened in heaven. I just remember getting the award and being told I was a hero," Keiichi replied as he shrugged. He gave her an inquisitive look. "Do you know what happened?"

Belldandy flinched before turning away. "I do," she finally spoke, refusing to look at him. "Don't ask me what happened please," she continued.

"Why not?" Keiichi asked. He leaned forward curiously. "I knew something was up, and you know what happened," he was exasperated as he stared at her. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Because I don't want you to be like Sousuke!" Belldandy nearly screamed as she turned on him. She shook as she stared defiantly at him, "Do you think I want you waking up in the middle of night screaming? Crying? Walking around rubbing your arm? I took your memories to protect you!" she gushed as her eyes closed.

Keiichi leaned away from her with shock on his face. He wasn't sure of how to react to such an admission. "Don't you think that is unfair to Sousuke?" he asked quietly.

Belldandy groaned as she leaned her head back. "I know it is unfair!" she growled angrily. "I know," she spoke again. "Don't you think I know that? He is so good to Urd, and they love each other, and they are doing something that no other Goddess and human have done in thousands of years, and there is just this instant allowance for this group of us?" she continued to blabber as she fought to regain her composure.

"So what? We just continue to act like we can't be together?" Keiichi questioned her. He pointed at her with his index finger. "I want you, and I love you, and one day we are going to get married, if I get my way," he spoke to her. "You are supposed to..." his voice trailed off as he looked away. "Look, who cares, if anything bad happens, we can just fix it," he growled before standing and starting to pace.

"What? We just let Sousuke shoot things until it's fixed?" Belldandy questioned him incredulously. "Bullets don't fix every thing," she scowled as she looked up at Keiichi.

"I'm not a warrior, but I am madly in love with you, and I would do anything to protect you, I know I would," Keiichi spat as he turned to face her. "So what do I need to do to show you that I would," he asked her.

"I know, I do, it's you who doesn't know what you were capable of," she replied. Her body shook as she held herself back before finally pulling herself to a standing position and extending her hand. "Do you want to see? Take my hand if you want to see," she scowled at him.

Keiichi stared down into the palm of his hand. He slowly extended his hand before taking hers in his grip. "Show me," he spoke softly.

The room vanished around them and Keiichi could see himself. They were standing in the court yard, moments before leaving for heaven. He was looking out through the eyes of Belldandy. "Are you ready Mr. Keiichi?" she asked softly, he could hear her voice echo in his ears.

He watched as the Keiichi of the memory nodded back. He could see the shotgun in his hands and he remembered it's heft in his own hands. He felt disorientated. It was difficult to process the Goddesses memories. This was the moment his memories stopped.

Belldandy activated the travel spell and the pair landed in the midst of what would have been easy to guess was Hell. Angels screamed and raged as Goddess fought desperately against the infected. The moment they landed, Belldandy had grabbed him. He watched as they darted in between combatants. "We must hurry Mr. Keiichi!" Belldandy cried out as she gripped his arm roughly.

An infected Goddess rushed forward and tackled Belldandy. He watched as the view fell to the ground. Her head collided with the ground before rolling over onto her back. She fought with the creature as it reached for her face. She was screaming, trying to tell Keiichi to run. She bent her elbow and used it to barricade the infected from biting her face off.

Her eyes closed under a splatter. A torrent of blood and brain matter washed over her face as the creature collapsed onto her body. Keiichi stared down at her, one hand wrapped in the creatures hair, holding half of the monsters skull. Keiichi had rushed forward and gripped the creatures hair in an attempt to pull the Goddess off of Belldandy, but then allowed the shotgun barrel to rest against it's spine. He pressed the barrel against the creatures skull and pulled the trigger, cleanly severing the piece he gripped in his hand and instantly killing the once-was Goddess.

Belldandy gaped at him from the ground. She was staring up at his face and it was tortured. He looked absolutely devastated before turning to view another creature lunging at a Goddess. His face grew utterly enraged as he slammed back the handle on the weapon and then rushed forward to grab a handful of wing and yanked. The infected Goddess stumbled backwards and he used the momentum to throw it to the side. He caught a glimpse of Lind before pressing the weapon into the back of the creature and pulling the trigger again. The wing in his hand was severed from the Goddess as he stumbled backwards.

Lind nodded at him once before lifting her weapon off the ground and rushing back into battle. Keiichi screamed at the top of his lungs before throwing the wing towards another infected Goddess. He fired his weapon until it was empty, and then began to use it as a club.

Belldandy released his hand in the real world and he stumbled backwards with shock on his face. "You killed every Goddess in the vicinity," she spoke quietly. Her hands shook as she considered his face, "I don't think all of them were infected," she continued.

Keiichi blinked several times. "That wasn't me, it couldn't be," he reasoned as he motioned with his hands. "Why would they reward me? They said that I was a Paladin," he continued. "I got some stupid medal," he gibbered.

Belldandy moved to hold him and he embraced her. "I couldn't do that," he cried out as he enveloped her in a hug.

"You could do it, if you thought I was in danger, you could do a lot of things you wouldn't normally do," she continued to speak to him as she rubbed his back. "I know you love me," she breathed hard as her hands slipped down his back and began to pull upwards on the hem of his shirt.

Keiichi pulled away to stare incredulously at her. "Bell," he began to speak but he was silenced as she crushed her lips against his. She snaked her tongue into and out of his mouth. Her left hand moved to the front of his chest and she gripped his shirt in her hand before peeling it off of his body like you might the wrapper on a candy bar. The cloth gave way to her touch instantly.

Keiichi froze as Belldandy reached down to draw his shorts down. He watched as her head disappeared downwards. Her wet tongue leaving a streak from his throat downwards. "Belldandy, don't you, we should, wow," he nearly toppled over as he felt his hands grip her hair involuntarily.

Belldandy snapped her fingers once before lifting a single hand upwards. She pressed a silver foil wrapper against his chest and Keiichi reacted by reaching up and grabbing it. He held the condom out for a second before his eyes rolled back into his head.

Skuld looked up and watched as Sousuke and Urd entered the room. She narrowed her eyes at the pair as they made their way over to the table. "Little early for all that noise, eh?" she grumbled as she pointed firmly at Urd with her index finger.

"I can't help it if I had to serve breakfast before we eat," Urd laughed as she shook her hair with both hands. She rotated her head around on her neck before smiling at Skuld. "It was a good morning,"

Skuld shook her head and rolled her eyes before cracking a grin. "Keiichi and Belldandy are fighting I think," she spoke up as she pointed at the cereal on the counter. I think every one is eating cereal.

"I'm fine with cereal," Sousuke replied as he approached the counter and began to work with one hand. He grabbed two bowls and began to pour the cereal for himself and Urd. "I have a few things I need to get done today," he spoke as he made two trips to place the bowls on the table. He then sat down at the table.

"You stink," Skuld wrinkled her nose as she stared at Sousuke.

Sousuke chuckled before digging into the cereal. "I'll clean up after I eat," he spoke between mouthfuls of sugary sweets.

"I think he smells good," Urd grinned as she pressed her finger against Sousuke's cheek. She pushed his lip into a smile before withdrawing her digit and smiling wide in his direction.

The trio ate in companionable silence for several more minutes before they were interrupted by Keiichi. He stood in the door way nude and stared at them nervously for several seconds. "Hey guys, I think... I think we need some help," he spoke softly as he turned at the neck to gaze down the hallway. "I did something wrong," he spoke.

Sousuke froze as he looked up at Keiichi. Urd cocked her head and Skuld stood. The three stared at Keiichi hard as he shifted nervously. "What the hell?" Skuld finally spoke as each of them began to regain their senses.

"Can you guys just come here?" Keiichi begged as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards the hallway. He turned and began to walk back towards the room that Belldandy used and the trio followed.

"Am I going to have to murder you?" Urd questioned as the three made their way towards the room. She bristled when he only shrugged in reply.

"I got them," Keiichi spoke as he entered the room. His nude form blocked the doorway but he quickly moved to the side to reveal Belldandy.

The beautiful Goddess stood in the middle of the room. She had pulled a wrap around her waist and draped her arms over her chest. She stared straight ahead in shock.

"Wow," Urd and Skuld exclaimed at once. They gazed upon her new tattoo and were left speechless as they began to circle her. Sousuke stood in the doorway leaned against the frame with a faint look of curiosity on his face.

Belldandy had a single body suit tattoo that left a small valley of skin down the center of her body all the way up to her neck. The traditional Japanese body tattoo covered her back in a massive mural of an Angel holding a knife between her teeth surrounded by a tiger and a dragon. The tattoo even covered her upper thighs down to her knees in bright hues of red, blue, and green with spats of white.

"What did you two do?" Skuld asked incredulously as she stared at Belldandy. "This thing is massive," she gaped.

Belldandy passed a furtive glance at Urd and her lip quivered as she craned her neck to look at herself in the mirror. "Well, there will be no hiding what we did," she spoke softly before drawing her face into a smile. "Mr. Keiichi and I have joined Urd and Sousuke in the 'bad Goddess' club," she chuckled softly.

"Yea, you did," Urd replied before leaning forward to hug Belldandy. The pair embraced for a moment before parting. Belldandy then turned to make eye contact with Sousuke. The pair held a look for several seconds before Belldandy broke contact and moved to hug Keiichi.

Keiichi had the good sense to put some shorts on and he held Belldandy tightly.

Sousuke pushed himself off the door frame with his good shoulder and held up his thumb at Keiichi. "Congratulations on the sex," he spoke before turning and leaving the room. He headed towards the kitchen.

Urd watched as Sousuke exited the room with a look of concern on her face but suppressed her urge to follow. "Are you all right?" she asked Belldandy as she looked her markings up and down. "Wow, this is intricate," she continued before holding her hands up and comparing her Celtic knot like designs to the unashamedly Japanese tattoo that adorned her sister.

"I feel fine," Belldandy confirmed as she nodded once. She released her grip on Keiichi and snapped her fingers allowing her clothing to appear and cover her. "I feel great actually," she continued before turning to look at herself in the mirror. Her clothing perfectly covered her new markings and because of the line of skin down her chest, you couldn't tell she was marked even when looking down her neck.

"So you have a cool marking," Skuld nodded as she gazed sagely. "Urd has cool markings," she continued. She grew contemplative before shrugging. "So congrats!" she cheerfully replied.

"You aren't mad?" Keiichi questioned her carefully. He stared at Skuld with a look of worry on his face as he wondered what kind of trouble he was going to find himself in with the diminutive Goddess.

"Happy?" she asked Belldandy.

"Yes," Belldandy replied with a nod. She seemed comforted in her sisters acceptance and relieved that her clothing could cover her tattoos unlike Urd who would need gloves to conceal hers.

"Cool," Skuld replied. She faced Keiichi with a hard glare and scowled. "So that is it, she owns you now, you can't even look at another girl or I will cut you," she growled before smiling again. "I'll cut you bad," she nearly sang as she skipped out of the room happily.

"She scares me sometimes," Keiichi spoke up once he thought Skuld was out of ear shot. He smiled softly at Belldandy before reaching out to hug her. The pair embraced again and he kissed the top of her head. "I love you," he assured her.

"I love you too," Belldandy replied. She look up at him with a hard look. "You can't leave now," she impressed on him as her eyes drew to slits. "Seriously," she growled.

"I am not going any where," Keiichi replied with a sloppy smile.

Urd rolled her eyes before bowing and flourishing her arm. "I will leave the love birds to themselves then," she joked as she turned to leave the room. "Call me when you start nesting," she stated before laughing at the stricken look that Belldandy gave her.

Sousuke smiled as Urd entered the kitchen. He leaned against the counter and slowly ate a handful of dry cereal that he kept cupped in his hand. He watched her as she approached him. The pair stood nearly nose to nose before she dipped her chin and flicked out her tongue to steal a few bits of the dry cereal. "What is wrong?" she questioned him as she crunched her share.

Sousuke didn't reply. He lifted his cupped hand to his lips and took a few more bites before shrugging. He held eye contact with Urd as she began to make silly faces at him. His lips curled into a grin as he watched her roll her eyes around, stick out her tongue, and wrinkle her forehead.

"Laugh, or I am going to kick you straight in your ass," Urd finally spoke.

Sousuke began to chuckle before finishing off his cereal. He shook his hands out by clapping them together and rubbing them momentarily to the side. "I guess we aren't special now," he spoke to her as his eyes continued to shine happily.

"Is that the problem? It was a competition?" she asked incredulously.

"No, not exactly," Sousuke replied. He grew contemplative before speaking. "Maybe it IS weird that we are doing these obviously strange things," he continued. "Why would a Goddess react to physical contact like that? What could be the evolutionary benefit of growing a massive artsy tattoo across your body just because you touched a human?"

Urd shrugged. "They used to use these marks to identify Goddesses who needed to be punished. They would be destroyed on sight," she replied. "The marks are usually indicative of the connection between the Goddess and the human," she continued.

Sousuke grunted sharply as he fell into deep thought. "I don't see the point," he continued to speak as his eyes glazed over and he stared at the floor.

Urd wrapped her arms around Sousuke and held him. He lifted his hands to her waist and held her by the hips as they stood together in the kitchen. "I like them," he whispered.

"What?" Urd asked softly.

"The tattoos, I like your markings," he explained. He arched his neck and kissed her shoulder where the knots of color snaked through her flesh. "They are perfect," he smiled before pressing his face into her neck.

"I'm glad," Urd sighed contently.

"I need a hair cut and a new vehicle. My job interview is coming up soon," Sousuke stated. "I should get a..."

"Tank, or an air slave," Urd stated firmly.

"You mean an Arm Slave?" Sousuke asked her as he fought back a laugh.

"What ever, just get something indestructible that you can't get hurt in," she growled.

"I'm going to ask Skuld to take me to the auto dealership. I have an idea for the vehicle I want to purchase. I think it may be time to get a bit more responsible in my choice of vehicle now that the Honda has met it's end," Sousuke spoke softly into Urd's hair. He ran his hands up her back before intertwining his fingers in her hair and tilting her head up for a kiss.

"Sure, what ever," Skuld spoke flippantly as she entered the room from the hallway. She had changed clothing and was currently wearing a tank top with a picture of a jet centered in the chest area and a pair of baggy desert tan khakis. She also wore a pair of heavy black boots that looked strikingly like a pair that Sousuke used to own. "Where is this place?" she asked as she hopped up to sit on the edge of the kitchen table.

"I'll get dressed shortly," Sousuke stated quickly. "I need to go to the auto park approximately thirty miles from here. I will also need to make my way to the barber. Would you be willing to help me and in turn I will buy you lunch?" he asked her.

Skuld pressed her right index finger against her cheek as she made her face look like she was deeply considering Sousukes' words. She tilted her head and stared up at the ceiling before snapping back into a normal body positioning. "Of course I will help you, duh!" she nearly shouted before hopping off of the table. "Go get ready so we can do this," she commanded as she pointed towards the door way.

Sousuke snapped her a salute before exiting the room. He went to busy himself in preparation for their day together.


	7. Ah! A Goddess Does?

Skuld sat in the saddle of her bike as Urd stood beside her with her arms crossed. Sousuke sat on the passenger pylon with his helmet and other gear on. Skuld had used magic to reshape it to his size once more. "I hear you," the tiny Goddess sighed as she listened to Urd.

"I'm serious. Not too fast, but don't get in trouble by going too slow. Make sure he wears his gear. Don't let him get hurt," Urd spoke rapidly as she made numerous demands to Skuld about the safety of the ride, Sousuke, and any other things she could think of at the moment. "No wheelies, flying, or getting hit by cars," she continued to speak.

"Yea, yea, yea," Skuld replied exasperatedly as she fired up the engines and began to rev them loudly. The two jets began to spit fire and crack loud enough to drown out Urd as she roll onto the throttle and released the clutch. The Banpei RR reacted instantly and the pair were rocketing out of the yard and onto the road.

Sousuke leaned forward and placed his hands on Skuld's hips to steady himself as the bike felt as though it might sling him off at any moment. He relaxed as they slowed at the first stop light. It was comforting to know that Skuld planned to follow the rules of the road, if only marginally. The bike came to a halt and they sat in silence as drivers around them stole glances at the gaudy motorcycle and the odd pair sitting on it.

Sousuke ocasionally tapped Skuld on the shoulder or squeezed her hips to communicate as they zipped down the road. The pair quickly covered the mileage necessary to get them to the auto park that Sousuke had requested Skuld deliver them to. He watched as lot after lot of vehicles appeared on either side of the road. His sight sometimes caught giant wiggly balloons or other gimmicks designed to catch the attention of those shopping without a plan.

"Here!" he finally cried out as Skuld banked the bike into the parking lot lined with massive Jeeps, trucks, and a myriad of off road vehicles lining the front. They rolled to a stop in front of the doors to the show room and Sousuke dismounted from the bike. He quickly unhooked the helmet and tucked it under his arm before speaking to Skuld. "You are welcome to stick around, but it will be boring," he stated as she held the low slung bike up between her thighs with her tip toes barely touching the floor.

"That's cool, I am going to zip out to see Shinji," she replied. "I will be back soon though, I think he is in class today. I am going to go bug him for an hour or two and come right back," she explained as she ran her fingers through her hair. "It's been a couple of days," she grinned before placing both of her hands on her hips.

"A good plan," Sousuke nodded as he leaned forward. He gave her an awkward hug that she timidly returned. "Stay safe," he spoke before growing contemplative. "Little sister," he called her with a slow and deliberate tenor. It was as though he were trying the words out on his lips.

Skuld threw her head back and laughed heartily. "Thanks, big brother," she replied as her eyes danced. "Why are you acting weird?" she questioned him as her eyes scanned towards the sales men waiting around for their opportunity to pounce on Sousuke.

"I am thankful that Urd has a wonderful family," Sousuke replied as he shrugged. "You are a great sister and I care about you, I want you to know that," he continued before stepping back and tossing up a sloppy salute towards her.

Skuld saluted back before revving the engines on her bike and stepping backwards until she could swing the bike around and head out towards the exit. The engines whined powerfully as they spooled up. She caught a hard left turn and opened up the throttle in order to allow the front wheel to head towards the sky. She held the front wheel off the ground until she was well out of sight from the dealership.

Sousuke shook his head and laughed before turning around to face the dealership. He caught the eyes of a gentleman with a paunchy belly and a thick mustache. The soldier lifted his good arm to provide a wave towards the man and waited for him to approach. The pair sized each other up in the moments that led up to their greeting.

"Hello there," the man spoke as he wiped his hands off on the front of his shirt. He extended his right hand and Sousuke took it. They shook firmly before the man pointed back towards the dealership. "What can I do for you?"

"I am looking to purchase a vehicle for personal transportation. I have some specific needs I need satisfied," Sousuke replied calmly as he allowed his gaze to explore the dealership parking lot for a moment.

"Don't we all," the man replied before laughing at his own joke. "My name is Herb, and I am sure we can find something that will satisfy you, what do you need? A truck or may be a Jeep?" he asked as he gestured towards different parts of the dealership.

Sousuke froze as his eyes fell on a vehicle in the garage section of the dealership. "What is that?" he asked as he pointed towards a rather large four door sedan. The vehicle was colored black and white, had a light bar, and was equipped with a front brush guard. "Is that a Police vehicle?"

"Yes sir!" Herb exclaimed as he gestured toward the vehicle. "We don't sell them like that for civilians," he continued but stopped as Sousuke interrupted him.

"Can I get the brush guard?" he asked.

"Sure, I guess," Herb replied before scratching at his head. "Sort of an odd request," he continued as he sized Sousuke up.

"My understanding is that these vehicles are regularly available with stiffer suspension, enhanced fuel delivery, and a higher top speed," Sousuke replied as his eyes began to scan the lot for the model of vehicle he was looking for.

"We call it our 'Pursuit Package', and you are right, we can really hook you up if you want it," the man stated as he pointed towards a corner of the dealership. "They are over there, but we can head inside and I can look it up on the computer to see if we have any in stock."

"Let's follow that course of action," Sousuke replied as the pair made their way towards the glass doors of the dealership. He could see several show-room floor models littered about including a very lanky vehicle called a 'Viper' with an extraordinary price tag. He chuckled at the thought of returning home with such a beast. He wondered how long it would take for Urd to catch him on fire with matches, since she couldn't use her magic.

The pair made their way to a small cubicle equipped with a desk and a computer with a handful of chairs. The man known as Herb sat down and began logging into the system. "This thing is a real piece," he grumbled as he used the keyboard to input his user name and password into the box. A full screen application displayed a handful of images and the names of vehicles with a small input box at the top.

"So we want a Charger. What color?" he stopped to look at Sousuke as his voice inflected his need for an answer.

"I would like it to be white or black," Sousuke replied easily. He sat in the hard plastic chair across from Herb sideways, allowing himself to view any one who decided to attempt to walk up behind him. "The interior should be leather, as well," he ticked off.

"Stereo upgrades?" Herb inquired as he continued to fill out the form on the computer. He checked boxes and filled out other information as necessary as the pair worked on locating a vehicle that Sousuke could drive happily. It was several more minutes before the pair finished and Herb stood to gather out a printed out sheet. "I'll be right back," he spoke before returning with the folded sheet of paper.

Sousuke stood and gestured towards the paper. "Any thing good?" he inquired.

"They are all good," Herb grinned before pointing towards the door. We can go take a look at a few, grab some stock numbers and keys, and we will take some test drives. "This is the fun part," he smiled as they began to make their way out towards the lot. "I think we have some winners on this list,"

\scenebreak

Skuld checked the mirrors to the Banpei RR as she rode. Her eyes darting about for errant drivers, pot holes, and any number of other dangers that could cut her fun ride short. She was well aware that it would take more than an automobile accident to harm her, but she still didn't want the other issues that come along with dealing with her sisters and Sousuke if she were to wipe out on her bike.

Skuld made her way to a more secluded part of the city before engaging the transformation mode on her bike. The fairings extended up and out to become wings and the rocket boosters engaged their after burner. She grit her teeth as the front of the bike rose off the ground and she felt herself pulled into the air. The Banpei RR left a trail of purplish white exhaust flame as she banked the air born bike towards her destination.

The tiny Goddess grinned wildly as she leaned down to rest her chest against the tank of the bike. She rocked the throttle back and tucked her knees in close as the bike exhaust began to dim to her ear. The Banpei head she used as a front fairing began to rotate upwards until it became a shield. She ducked her head behind it and a small screen engaged allowing her to see forward. A heads up display projected on the screen began to blink as she reached hypersonic speeds. The words 'MACH 5.5' began to flash on the screen.

The city scape below was rapidly replaced with country side. She could see another city, home to Shinji, not far ahead. She watched as the world beneath her seemed to almost evaporate into a singular mass of color. A warning beep, slow and steady, grabbed her attention. She slowly eased off of the throttle as her vision caught a flashing red 'MACH 9.4' on the screen.

It felt like an eternity before the bike and her hearing was rattled by a massive crack of noise in rapid succession. She had slowed down and the sound she was generating had rapidly caught up with her. Her bike began to shake as the shock waves slammed into the rear and she held on tight until the turbulence abated.

Skuld banked down towards the road and pressed a button that allowed her to land and transform without stopping. The Banpei RR returned to its normal shape and she pointed the bike towards the college that Shinji attended. It only took a few more minutes before she was pulling into the parking lot of the school.

Skuld stopped and closed her eyes. She allowed her mind to clear and she began to concentrate on the feeling of Shinji and his spirit. She allowed her shoulders to drop and she held her hands close to her chest as though she were praying. After several seconds of silent contemplation she picked up a feeling in the air and was able to pinpoint his position on the campus. She felt her tattoo tingle softly as she took a deep breath, exhaled, and then headed in the direction that she felt he was.

The campus sprawl consisted of numerous multi-story buildings surrounding an inner courtyard that contained a criss crossing of streets and parking spots. She noticed the wandering eyes of the students as she skipped towards a building that proudly sported a 'Fujimoto Memorial' mathematics sign on the front facade. "I bet he is inside," Skuld grinned to herself as she approached the double doors with the stairs in front.

The tiny Goddess stopped at the foot of the stairs and bent at the waist to allow her long flowing hair to dangle in front of her face. She ran her fingers into the stream of midnight black hair and began to shake her hands in rapid spurts before flinging her head back and allowing her now more buoyant hair to bounce off of her shoulders.

She strode purposefully up the stairs and into the building. The doors opened at her gentle touch and she looked about with a grin on her face. A small framed map on the wall caught her attention and she approached it instantly. Skuld leaned forward onto her tip toes as she studied the map before coyly stealing a glance from left to right. After sufficiently satisfying herself that she wasn't being watched or recorded she incanted a small prayer and watched as a tiny red dot appeared on the map. "There you are," she giggled as she pressed her finger against the map. Shinji was on the second floor in a room known as 'Advanced Mathematics Lab'.

Skuld whirled on her heels and began to walk purposefully towards a set of stairs she had spied as she entered. She followed them upwards until she reached the second floor. She spotted a set of arrows with room numbers on them and began to follow the signs towards the lab that she knew that Shinji was within. It wasn't long before she spotted the door. It was ajar and she approached slowly.

"Shinji talks a lot of shit but I think he is a fucking liar," a male student spoke as several others began to laugh. Skuld froze and started to listen. "He says he has this girlfriend who he talks to at night but I think it's just an excuse so he can wack it in front of his room mate." Another peel of laughter ripped through the math lab.

Skuld felt her eyes narrow angrily.

"What ever," Shinji replied. He seemed to be trying to laugh off their teasing as he attempted to steer their discussion back to math. "So if we need to find the area of the circle," he continued before his voice trailed off. "Oh come on," he exclaimed as she heard the group begin laughing again.

"I'm so pretty, kiss my ass!" the same boy from before spoke again. She craned to glance into the room and saw a male with bleach blond hair wiggling his hips towards Shinji while he attempted to lean away. "Come on, I'm just as pretty as your imaginary girlfriend," the guy continued to tease.

Skuld allowed her eyes to explore the room for a moment as she tried to decide how to handle the situation. She bristled at the idea that these individuals might be picking on her Shinji. She felt exceedingly possessive. She could see that the room seemed to contain six individuals including Shinji and that they were congregated at some high top tables working on a project of some sort.

Skuld rapidly came to a decision before knocking on the door and poking her head inside. She grinned at Shinji as he turned in his chair and his eyes grew as wide as saucers at the sight of her. She hoped he would play along and moved quickly before he ruined her game. "Hey guys, is someone here good at math?" she asked casually as she entered the room fully.

"Yea, I am," the blond haired guy spoke up as he moved from Shinji towards her. He slicked back his hair with his hand before extending it towards her. "Are you a Freshman?" he inquired.

"What can we help you with?" Shinji smirked as he made eye contact with her. He laid his chin on his fist as he curled his elbow on the table. He fought the urge to laugh out loud as he wondered what kind of game she was playing. "Are you sure you are a student here?" he grinned.

"Yea, I am," Skuld feigned annoyance as she scowled at him.

"Don't worry about him," another boy urged her as he approached her. "How can we help you?"

"Well, I am trying to find someone who would be willing to trade a date for homework help," Skuld replied. She fluttered her eye lids towards Shinji who scowled at her playfully.

"I was hoping you would want to trade home work help for some of this," he boldly replied causing the entire room to fall silent.

Skuld felt her nose twitch as she fought back laughter. She stole a sideways glance at the very uncomfortable looking blond next to her and took a deep breath. "I don't think you could handle all of this," she replied as she approached Shinji. She stopped once her knees were pressing against his thigh.

"I could crank you across your face until your nose sat sideways," Shinji replied as he pantomimed punching himself.

"I like it when you talk dirty," Skuld replied as she reached out to grab his ear. She twisted her wrist until his mouth opened in pain before leaning in and capturing his mouth with hers. "Don't write a check with your mouth that your ass can't keep," she giggled as she used another colorful Kurtz-ism.

The pair kissed deeply until Skuld pulled away to face the other students in the room. "I guess I should introduce myself to you nerds. I am Skuld and I am the imaginary girlfriend that Shinji brags about," she laughed openly as the men in the room gawked at her.

Shinji puffed out his chest proudly as Skuld climbed into his lap and draped her arm around his neck. "I can't stay long but I wanted to see you," she whispered into his ear. He felt exceedingly proud.

"So what brought you out here?" Shinji asked her as he snaked an arm around her waist. He grinned as she nestled her shoulder in close to him. He could tell that his friends were all giving him death glares as they watched his behavior with the young Goddess.

"I brought Sousuke out to buy a new ride. He is going to get a car, so I thought I would stop in and visit you while I have a good excuse for being out of the house," Skuld replied as she stretched her legs out and wiggled them restlessly. "He asked me to invite you to lunch, but I understand if you are busy," she allowed her voice to trail off.

Shinji turned at the neck to stare at his friends. He didn't need to say a word as each of them began to urge him to go to lunch with her. "Just go," one spoke as he held up his notes. "Yea, we can help you catch up tomorrow," another stated.

"I guess that settles it," Skuld spoke as she shrugged her shoulders and hopped off of his lap. She reached down to grab his hand and pointed towards the door as she began to gently tug on his arm. "We need to hurry back to Sousuke," she urged him.

"All right," Shinji laughed as he allowed her to drag him to the door. The pair crossed the threshold before she froze and leaned back into the room. Shinji could hear Skuld giggle as she pulled her eye lid down and stuck her tongue out at the blond kid. "Eat my imaginary ass," she spat before turning and running down the hall dragging Shinji behind her.

\scenebreak

Sousuke locked his seat belt over his shoulder before placing the keys into the ignition of the vehicle. He turned the key and listened as the eight cylinder motor roared to life instantly. After several seconds of lumpy idling the motor fell nearly silent.

"The engine switches to running on only four cylinders unless you need the performance. You can control a lot of the vehicle from the cluster here," Herb explained as he pointed out random doodads and buttons on the dash of the vehicle.

Sousuke took a moment to look at the dash and found the button that switched the car to performance mode. He pressed and held it until the dash light changed to red and a single beep echoed throughout the cabin of the vehicle. He then located and held the traction control button. A single yellow light glowed in the cluster.

"You are now in performance mode and have traction control turned off," Herb cautioned Sousuke as he watched him fiddle with the vehicle. "You have four hundred and twenty five horsepower at your disposal."

Sousuke grunted in reply before pulling the shifter lever down into drive and ratcheting it to the side. The vehicle entered a quasi manual mode and he slowly depressed the accelerator until they were gliding out of the parking lot and into the street. He hooked a right turn into traffic and slapped the gear shifter into second. The motor whirred at a healthy three thousand rpm as they approached another four way intersection.

Herb began to speak again but fell silent as Sousuke yanked the shifter back towards the rear of the vehicle. The motor rev matched and began to spin at nearly five thousand rpm as Sousuke leaned into the gas and accelerated into a right turn that slid the rear wheels out. He held the throttle at seventy percent as he allowed the vehicle to slide through the corner before picking up the remaining thirty percent of the throttle play. The vehicle burst forward as he slapped the shifter into second and then third gear.

"Be careful!" Herb grunted as Sousuke eased off the throttle and began to slow from sixty miles per hour.

"It's good," Sousuke confirmed as he used the back of his wrist to push the gear shift back into a fully automatic position. He took several more turns at a leisurely pace before nodding once. "I think this is it," he spoke as he moved towards a spot where he could make a U turn and return to the dealership.

"You think you want to buy it?" Herb asked him as he began to loosen the hold on his seatbelt.

"If we can get the numbers right," Sousuke nodded as he spotted the dealership further up ahead on the left. He turned on the blinker to the vehicle and made his way into the parking lot. He was pleasantly surprised when he noticed Skuld and Shinji sitting on the curb in front of the dealership together holding hands. The Banpei RR sat like a frightening grinning monster near by the young couple.

Herb looked at the pair and then at Sousuke. "Why don't you three take the car for a ride out? You need to really love it before you commit," He urged Sousuke as they parked and Skuld and Shinji stood to approach the vehicle.

"I agree, I will do that," Sousuke replied with a nod as he motioned with his hand to the pair. Herb exited the vehicle before holding the door open for Skuld who hopped in the front seat. Shinji opened the back door and allowed himself in.

"Wow," Skuld exclaimed as she looked around inside the vehicle. "Did you buy it?" she asked him as she began to open all of the compartments in the car and fiddle with the sun visor.

"Not yet," Sousuke laughed before leaning back to offer his hand to Shinji. The pair shook hands and smiled at each other.

"Let's go to dinner first," Sousuke stated as they moved out of the lot again and headed for a small chicken restaurant that Sousuke had seen further down the road during his test drive.

"How have you been feeling?" Shinji asked as he leaned forward in his seat. He grinned wildly as he held onto the shoulder of the passenger seat currently occupied by Skuld. The vehicle acceleration was amazing to him.

"A lot better," Sousuke confirmed as he pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. He made a lap around the restaurant as he followed the signs that attempted to guide him towards the drive through before stopping in one of the open parking spots near the side of the building. "I have been in a little pain but it could have been worse," he spoke as he shrugged his injured shoulder slightly.

"I hear ya," Shinji replied. "I am just glad you didn't get too hurt. This car is monstrous, what is it?" he questioned.

"It's a Dodge Charger," Sousuke replied. He placed the vehicle in park and turned the key to shut down the motor before unlatching his seat belt. "I hope you guys don't mind chicken."

Shinji grinned wildly as he shot a glance at Skuld. The tiny Goddess narrowed her eyes at him as she felt a strong desire to laugh overcome her.

"What?" Sousuke asked as he noticed their odd behavior.

"Shinji wants to say I know all about cock, don't you," she spoke as she rolled her eyes.

Shinji replied with a sound like a chicken might make. His clucking made Skuld roll her eyes as she swung her arm out to clip his bicep lightly.

"Yuck," Sousuke replied as he looked at Skuld. "You two are nasty," he spoke before laughing at the shocked look that Skuld wore.

"That is my line!" She yelped as they made their way into the restaurant.

\scenebreak

Urd busied herself in the kitchen as she held a cookbook in one hand while scrubbing at the counter with a rag in the other. She spoke aloud as she read. The sound of the television droning in the back ground gave her something to listen to as she worked. She could hear a soap opera jingle every once in a while.

"Chicken curry, Chicken Katsu, Pan Seared Steak," she rattled off the name of recipes as she flicked from page to page with her thumb. She had found the cook book under a stack of magazines and wondered if it wasn't Keiichi who had left it there. It seemed to have a romantic bent and talked about impressing girls with cooking prowess. "Cute," she breathed before setting the book down and grabbing a bottle of cleaning solution.

Urd felt her ears perk as she realized something was missing. She couldn't hear the television any more. In fact, the entire house had fallen silent and she realized that she couldn't hear much of anything. Urd grew still as she began to look about the room. She felt like there were eyes on her and she was distinctly uncomfortable without her magic.

"Bell?" Urd whispered. The sound seemed to cut the silence like a knife as the sound of fabric stretching caught her attention. The olive skinned Goddess twisted to look through the window and screamed as she came face to face with a masked figure. Urd stumbled backwards as she bellowed a guttural scream. Her hands pressed against the refrigerator as she continued to stare at figure in the window.

The masked figure raised a fist and pressed it against the glass which melted under the touch. The glass vanished and the person reached into the room in order to twist their arm up to unlatch the window.

Urd looked about before grabbing the leaking bottle of cleaning solution on the floor. She rushed forward and began to jerk the bottle about wildly on the arm of the figure who involuntarily leaned backwards as the liquid splashed about. Urd begged any God who was listening internally before snapping her fingers and allowing a single spark to land on the solution. It erupted into flames and the figure fell backwards in obvious surprise.

"Urd!" Belldandy cried out as she rushed into the room. She was topless and held a sword in her hand.

Urd looked back at Belldandy before returning her gaze outside. The figure was gone but the fire remained. "Bell, a little help please," Urd spoke as she held up her arm. The limb was covered in slowly burning flammable liquid and the flames were licking at her clothing.

Belldandy clasped her hands and incanted a prayer. The fires were extinguished at her urging. "What happened?" she asked Urd almost instantly.

"There was a pervert outside trying to peak at me," Urd exclaimed as she pointed towards the window. "They broke the glass and were trying to come inside so I sprayed them with cleaning solution and lit it on fire," she spoke as she held out her arm. "I'm glad I am fire proof," she exhaled as she shot a grin at Belldandy.

Belldandy placed a hand over her chest after Urd used the word pervert. She looked back into the hallway at Keiichi who was currently holding a vase in his hand as a make shift weapon. He had followed her out when they had heard Urd call out for help. "Are you hurt?" Belldandy questioned Urd as she turned her attention back on her sister.

"No, but I forced out some magic and I think I need to sit down," Urd groaned as she slowly allowed herself to sit on the floor. She clamped her eyes shut and leaned back onto the palms of her hands as she felt the room swirling about her.

"Just relax all right?" Belldandy replied as she snapped her fingers and covered her body in armor. She held out the sword and it glowed before becoming a halberd. She had summoned her Valkyrie armor. Urd opened her eyes and looked at the armor only to notice how strange it appeared.

"Wow," Keiichi breathed as he look as well. The armor looked like a skin tight samurai armor made with interlaced ingots of a subdued metal he could only imagine was similar to titanium. Her helmet looked like a grinning Japanese demon and her boots appeared to look like the feet of an ogre or other giant clawed mythical beast.

"That's different," Belldandy spoke before pushing aside her surprise. "You watch Urd, I am going to check the house," she spoke forcefully to Keiichi as he edged past her to kneel next to Urd.

Belldandy summoned her magical power and it rolled on in waves. The energy that snaked up from the ground into her armor began to release waves of blue and red smoke like tendrils that wisped off of her like the gas from a burning cigarette. She vanished with a deafening crack as the room shook and she appeared outside the window. Keiichi watched as she escaped from his angle of vision through the portal and began to patrol the home.

"Well, who ever decided to show up must have left," Urd snickered. "I would be long gone by now if I saw that," she looked at Keiichi and grinned.

"Is that from us doing, well, you know," the young man questioned as he looked at Urd. He looked awe struck.

"I heard rumors that a Goddess grows strange powers, gets stronger, and can do insane things even by our standards once she has been with a man. It's one of the reasons we are considered so dangerous," Urd spoke to him.

"Insane?" Keiichi questioned carefully.

"I don't even know where to start," Urd chuckled. "You know how your parents probably told you stories about boogey monsters under the bed?" she questioned him as their eyes met.

"Sure," Keiichi nodded.

"We got told about bad Goddesses who were so powerful that God himself had to destroy them after they burned entire continents to the ground," Urd smirked. "I think your bible states that they had to go to war with the 'giants' but our books document the battles. Goddesses who aligned with the Titans who could single handedly destroy armies of hundreds of thousands," she continued.

"Huh," Keiichi grunted as he watched her.

Urd pulled herself to a standing position and moved to sit at the kitchen table. Keiichi followed her closely as she moved in order to provide assistance in case she were to fall.

"If you grow so powerful, why are you...," his voice trailed off as he motioned with his hands towards her.

"Weak?" Urd replied. She pointed at her belly before continuing to speak. "I am nesting, so I have to conserve all of my energy, it's kind of, just something you understand," she continued. "'Elle will continue to protect what is inside of me using her energy and eventually I will lay an egg," she laughed at the look that Keiichi gave her.

"But..." Keiichi began to ask her another question but he faltered.

"I am one of the most powerful Goddesses in heaven and my power is only rivaled by Hild," Urd sighed as she laid her head down on the table. "Once I finish my nesting stage I will grow in power probably a hundred or a thousand times over," she whispered.

"So you will be all powerful?" Keiichi wondered aloud as he stared in awe at her.

"Not exactly," Belldandy replied as she silently appeared in the middle of the kitchen. Her helmet was missing but she still wore her armor. "I don't see any one around and I don't sense any Goddesses or Demons," she sighed before closing her eyes and allowing her armor to vanish back into the aether. She tossed the halberd up into the air and it winked out of existence.

"I guess I scared them off," Urd spoke up as she flexed her arm and smiled with her cheek still pressed against the cool table.

"I don't like it," Belldandy grumbled as she incanted one more prayer and completely repaired and cleaned the kitchen. It looked spotless.

"Show off," Urd spat as she rotated her face to rest on her chin as she threw a rude gesture with her hand towards a smiling Belldandy. The pair grinned at each other.


	8. Ah! A Goddess Keeps A Secret?

"Ugh, I'm stuffed," Skuld groaned as she leaned back in her seat. Her forehead had a thin bead of sweat across the middle that she wiped at with the back of her hand. "I can't believe I ate the biggest box they sell," she groaned before allowing her eyes to roll back in her head and a tempered belch to escape her lips.

Shinji looked at her in shock as he continued to nibble at his much smaller platter of chicken and fries. He attempted to conceal his surprise at her outburst but failed before she noticed.

"What, a Goddess can't burp?" Skuld asked rhetorically as Shinji fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I didn't say that," Shinji attempted to placate her as he shot a furtive glance towards Sousuke.

Sousuke lifted his cup to his lips and raised his eye brows at Shinji as he refused to involve himself in their squabble. He had finished his plate first and was enjoying watching the pair interact. He liked Shinji.

"What happens next?" Skuld questioned after tiring of teasing Shinji. She leaned over to pinch her boyfriend on the leg causing him to jump as she feigned innocence.

"I have to go pay for the car," Sousuke replied. He leaned back in the hard plastic chair of the restaurant and allowed his back to pop on the rest. He began to sigh but carried it into a large yawn.

"I guess I will take Shinji home while you do that," Skuld stated as she stood and stretched her hands over her head. She rubbed her belly for several seconds before pointing towards the door. "Let's do it," she spoke to Shinji as he looked at her.

"Sounds good," Sousuke stated as he too stood. The trio made their way out of the restaurant and back to the vehicle. Sousuke chuckled to himself as he reached out and gripped the door handle causing the doors to automatically unlock. The vehicle had a lot of technology integrated into it and he wondered if that was appropriate for his choice in transportation.

The vehicle started and fell into a silent idle before he placed it into reverse, exited the parking space, and began the trip back to the dealership.

"Do you like it?" Skuld questioned him. She was busying herself with the radio and had already programmed the words "Big Brother" into the owners slot.

"I do," Sousuke nodded. He still wanted to make changes, but for the most part, he was confident that the vehicle was acceptable for his needs. It would be fast, quiet, and equipped with some modicum of additional front and rear protection from the brush guards he had chosen.

"I don't think my vehicle will be ready tonight," Sousuke spoke as he parked the vehicle. "I will ask them if they will provide a loaner," he continued as Skuld gave him a concerned look.

"If they don't, just call Bell and have her contact me, I will come get you," Skuld nodded before opening the door. Shinji and Skuld made their way to the Banpei RR and left quickly. Shinji waved at Sousuke from the back of the bike as they made their way onto the highway.

"Hey! How did it go!?" Herb called out excitedly. He had exited the dealership with pen in hand as soon as he saw Sousuke pull up.

"I enjoyed the vehicle tremendously and I am ready to make a deal," Sousuke replied as he approached Herb. The pair entered the dealership together and began the process of finalizing the purchase of the vehicle including the addition of all accessories that Sousuke had chosen.

\scenebreak

Skuld pulled into the motorcycle parking area of their home with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't see any new car parked on the street or inside the walls of where they lived and she wondered why Sousuke had not gotten home yet. She turned her head and spotted Urd and Belldandy watching her from the window as she pressed the kick stand down and swung her leg up and off of the bike.

Urd met her at the door and the pair exchanged worried glances as she ushered Skuld into the house. "Sousuke?" Urd questioned as she looked over her shoulder out into the court yard one more time.

"I thought he would beat me home, it's pretty late," Skuld replied as she fidgeted near the door. She contemplated returning to her bike and making a run to the dealership to see if he was still there. "Should I go check on him?" she thought aloud as she jingled the keys to the Banpei RR in her hand.

"It can take a while for a car deal to go through," Keiichi spoke up as he entered the room. He smiled comfortingly as he approached Urd and patted her gently on the shoulder. "I know you are worried, but it can take a while for someone to finalize a deal like that," he continued to speak. "I wouldn't get worried unless it is past midnight."

"Midnight?!" Urd growled. "What is that thing with the phone that you put in your pocket? A walkie talkie?" she questioned him.

"A cell phone?" Keiichi replied back, attempting to ascertain exactly what she was asking about.

"That! I want Sousuke to carry a cell phone," she demanded. "Can I just have Skuld summon him one?" she inquired.

"I don't think so, they use satellites and junk, so I guess he needs an account every month too," Keiichi scratched at his cheek as he contemplated Urd and her demand.

"I can make him a cell phone and we can do it better," Skuld declared as she turned on her heels and made her way to her bedroom. "Give me a minute," she stated before vanishing down the hall in a blur to her room. The sound of mechanical clanking, electric soldering, and hammering began to escape down the hall towards the group.

Urd smiled inwardly at the care that Skuld and she shared for Sousuke. She was glad to know that her sister was willing to help her and make sacrifices when ever it was necessary.

Keiichi sat on a pillow in front of the television and flipped the old box on. He began to tune channels using the knobs on the front until he located a show he thought that Urd might enjoy. "Want to watch this? It's about cars," he spoke as he pointed at the screen.

"I guess," Urd huffed before moving to sit beside him. The pair sat in companionable silence as the sounds of work echoed down the hallway. Urd fidgeted and sighed as she constantly stole glances from the show towards the door. She was concerned about Sousuke and wondered if she shouldn't dress him down for the worry he was causing her.

It felt like an eternity to Urd before the sound of a vehicle pulling up caught her attention. She stood quickly and rushed to the door to see the familiar silhouette of Sousuke exiting a vehicle that looked a lot like a cab. He waved at her as he noticed her standing in the door way.

"Where have you been?" she yelped as she watched the vehicle she now realized was a cab pull away from their yard. "Where is your car you were buying?" she began to visualize Sousuke off with women while she languished at home.

The stoic soldier felt a strong desire to roll his eyes at the Goddesses antics as she fussed over him. He motioned towards the house as the pair walked side by side. "The vehicle will not be ready for several days and I was unwilling to pay the daily fee for a rental vehicle. I am a bit disappointed in that aspect of the deal but for the most part, I think it will be fine."

Urd narrowed her eyes at him before huffing exasperatedly. "Don't you understand I was worried about you?" she threw her hands up in the air before stomping her foot. "What if something happened to you?" she nearly yelled at him. "You could have been dead in a ditch somewhere and I wouldn't have known," she continued as her eyes filled with tears.

Sousuke stopped and turned to face her. He stepped towards her and pulled her into a hug that she struggled in but eventually stopped moving before holding him. "What happened?" he asked softly. He knew something strange must have happened for Urd to be acting so strange.

"Someone was peeping in the window and I thought maybe they had gotten you or something might have happened that I didn't know about and then maybe they were coming for me to finish the job," she exploded as the tears began to escape her eyes in force. "I think Bell chased them away," she finally choked out as Sousuke stared at her with a stricken look on his face.

"Who was this?" he asked angrily as his hands began to shake. "Who was looking in the window?" he demanded.

"I don't know, they had a mask," Urd whimpered. "They melted the glass with their hand and tried to come into the kitchen but I screamed and threw flaming cleaning solution on them," she explained every thing that happened that she could remember before looking at Sousuke sheepishly. "I didn't mean to make you mad, I was just scared," she whimpered.

Sousuke could feel his hands shaking as his arm ached. He contemplated someone weaseling their way into an opportunity to accost Urd or his family. He felt rage welling up inside him and he felt like he had no outlet. "I am glad you are safe," he breathed through grit teeth. He wanted any opportunity to get his hands on the person who had caused Urd to be afraid. He looked around the court yard before motioning to the door. "Let's go," he growled as he guided Urd back into the house.

"Hey," Keiichi began to wave but froze as he looked at Sousuke and the face he was wearing. "Car purchase didn't go well?" he joked nervously before falling silent.

Sousuke walked to the bedroom and opened the closet before withdrawing a heavy olive drab case. He laid it on the floor and opened the latches that held the case closed then tossed the top over to lay on the floor. He grew angrier with himself when he looked into the case. There were six magazines in the case and only four of them were filled with ammunition. He hefted the P$90$ up and inspected the bolt. It was a little dry and didn't have the same shine it should have.

"What are you doing?" Urd questioned him nervously as she stood in the door way.

"I've been going soft," he replied as he smashed one of the cardboard boxes that contained his $5.7$ cartridges open on the floor. He began picking up the individual cartridges before shimmying them into the magazine. "I should never have let down my guard," he spat as he turned the magazine sideways and tapped the bottom before returning to filling it.

"Bell looked and the person is long gone, we are sure," Urd tried to console him as she watched him nervously.

"Good," Sousuke replied. "I will have to thank her," he continued to speak before finishing up with the two magazines. He then grabbed a bottle of lubricant spray and began to properly care for his weapon. He shot a blast of the spray down the barrel before rotating the weapon to give him access to the bolt. He used his finger to push the liquid about inside the weapon before releasing and then redrawing the bolt assembly several times. He then reattached the magazine to the top of the weapon and loaded a single round into the weapon before placing it on safe.

"Feel better?" Urd asked as she watched him sling the weapon over his shoulder and drape it down by his side.

"A bit," he spoke through a sigh. "Sort of," he finished lamely.

"It's probably nothing," Urd spoke as she approached Sousuke and reached out to hold him. She embraced him and held his head close to her.

"I want to talk to Belldandy about it," Sousuke spoke into her hair as he pulled her close. The pair stood in silence until he finally pulled away slowly.

"Sure, come on," Urd replied as she took him by the hand and walked him to the kitchen.

Belldandy felt her eyes flicker to the weapon draped across the chest of Sousuke before she made eye contact and held it with him. "I don't know who it was," she spoke without prompt. She didn't need to be a mind reader to know that Sousuke had his concerns about the incident that occurred earlier in the day. "I cleared the yard, the house, and the surrounding perimeter out to about fifteen feet from the edge of the fence. I didn't find anything," she continued to speak as Sousuke nodded at her.

"What can we do?" Sousuke inquired. He seemed to be interested in finding some kind of magical answer to his current dilemma.

"Well, I am going to ask Skuld to set Banpei to be a bit more aggressive. He should have intervened if the person in question had been a demon. So I think we may want to branch out on his list of targets Mr. Sousuke," she spoke deliberately.

"Armaments?" Sousuke inquired.

"It shouldn't be necessary. He has been known to scare off Hild and Marller," Belldandy replied with her normal easiness.

"I probably shouldn't booby trap the garden?" Sousuke asked her with a smirk.

"I would hope not," Belldandy confirmed as she tucked an errant string of hair back behind her ear.

Sousuke nodded once at Belldandy before turning and making his way to the back door of the home. He withdrew a small flash light from his pocket and began to walk the perimeter of the home as he held the P$90$ close to his chest. He didn't expect to find anything but he didn't want to rule out the off chance he might locate some kind of clue.

He traced the same foot steps that Belldandy took. He couldn't shake an uneasy feeling as he knelt under the window to the kitchen and inspected the floor. What ever foot prints or tracks he expected to find where marred by the massive metal foot claws that Belldandy had summoned. He couldn't find anything to make sense of who or what could have had an interest in challenging Urd in their own home.

Sousuke stood and rubbed his arm slowly. He could feel the heat surging into his face as he struggled to control his temper. He involuntarily jerked as he remembered the first time he was shot. He sighed aloud as he turned to stare towards the perimeter wall that surrounded their home. He fantasized about catching the man who threatened Urd. He wanted to capture the man and torture him. He imagined all the ways he could inflict suffering on a person.

Sousuke startled when he realized Skuld was standing next to him. He jerked his head towards her. He had been so lost in his thoughts he didn't even notice the tiny Goddess make her way up to him until she was on top of him. He felt himself growing angrier with himself.

"Hey, sorry," she spoke before holding up a small device towards him. "This is a communication device I just invented like ten minutes ago," she explained as she dangled the radio like tool out wards.

Sousuke took the device and looked at it. The hand held radio was silver with black buttons with a long tri-band antenna. "It's a radio?" he asked as he looked at Skuld.

Skuld scowled. "It's not just a radio. It is a COMMUNICATION device that can put you in contact with me or Urd, even if we were in another dimension," she grumbled as she reached into her pocket and withdrew a second identical device. She shook it at him before returning it to where she drew it from.

Sousuke nodded before clipping the radio to his belt. He placed it so it hung off of his right hip. "Thank you," Sousuke spoke to her as they stood in silence in the dark. He returned to looking about the yard wistfully, wishing for an opportunity to crush those hidden enemies he couldn't pin point yet.

"Of course," Skuld replied as she interlaced her finger tips and rested her palms on the top of her head. She grinned at him as she began to rock back and forth on the balls and heels of her feet.

Sousuke felt shock as he lifted his flash light and noticed the three red roses tucked under her bicep that she had accidentally revealed. "Skuld, are those...?" he allowed his voice to trail off as he dropped the volume.

Skuld felt shock rock her body as she realized what Sousuke had seen. She slammed her arms down and stared at him. She didn't know what to say as they both stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Skuld finally broke the silence as she whispered a 'yes' in his direction.

"Does anyone else know?" Sousuke asked her as he turned so anyone looking at them from the window would not be able to see his lips.

"No," Skuld replied timidly.

"Shinji?" Sousuke continued his questioning.

"Uhuh," Skuld replied as she nodded her head once.

Sousuke grunted in reply as he grew contemplative. He shifted the P$90$ as he fidgeted.

"You going to tell my sisters?" she questioned softly.

Sousuke shook his head once in the negative before looking at her. "Are you being safe?" he inquired.

"Yup, I carry my hammer..." Skuld joked awkwardly.

"I could buy you some toy balloons and some rubber bands for Shinji," Sousuke replied.

Skuld nearly choked as she stifled a laugh. "Aren't those the tiny balloons you can buy at the $99$ cent store?"

Sousuke nodded.

Skuld grinned at him before holding her index fingers up and out while wiggling them up and down.

Sousuke guffawed and grinned before speaking. "Gross," he breathed out as the pair shared a laugh.

\scenebreak

"You failed," Pallas spoke slowly as he gazed down his nose at Kaname Chidori. The imposing Titan held a look of disgust on his chiseled features as he watched the young woman cower at his feet. "I told you to capture her," he continued to speak.

"I couldn't," Kaname blurted out as she held out her arm. The skin was burnt and leaking puss where she had been injured by Urd. "I tried, but she burned me, I thought you said she couldn't do magic right now. I'm not a kidnapper!" she yelled at the Titan as tears streamed from her eyes.

"What is the price of failure?" Pallas questioned her. He leaned forward at the waist and wrapped his massive hand around the arm she had extended towards him. Her flesh tore under his grip as he lifted her arm up above her head until she was dangling off the floor in whole body.

Kaname screamed at the top of her lungs as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to grip at his hand with her other arm. She kicked her feet uncontrollably.

Pallas carried her towards Athena and dropped her at the feet of the Goddess. His features twisted in rage as Kaname continued to scream and cry. He grew tired of the noise she was making and contemplated simply killing her. "You are in luck," he spoke to her.

Athena shuddered as she eyed the torn flesh dangling from the arm that Kaname was cradling in her hand.

"Shut your mouth," Pallas bellowed. His voice shook the room and filled the air with a foreboding feeling that silenced Kaname instantly.

Pallas reached down and unhooked his belt buckle. He slowly began to draw the belt from the loops of his pants as he eyed Kaname with a look of rage on his face.

Kaname froze. She watched the massive Titan removing his belt and cowered under his gaze. She felt real terror welling up inside her as she closed her eyes tight. Her breath was ragged and she shook as she wondered what was to come.

"Take it," Pallas spoke to her. "Open your eyes and take it," he demanded as his deep voice rattled her to the core.

Kaname opened a single eye to find the large, heavy, leather belt dangling in front of her face from his massive fist. Kaname reached out with her unburned arm and took the belt from him. She allowed the massive leather strap to dangle to the floor from her grip.

"Turn around," Pallas commanded Athena as he pointed at her. He held her gaze until she acquiesced.

The Goddess turned and held her chin high as the reality of the situation donned on her. Pallas stepped towards her and gripped the back of her silken gown with his fist before yanking the fabric down and off of the top of her body. She stood proud as she waited for what she could expect was to come.

"Kneel," Pallas spoke to her.

The Goddess complied.

"What are you doing?" Kaname choked out between sobs as she watched Athena kneel beside her. She stood rapidly when Pallas reached for her, she realized he wanted her to stand. She continued to hold the belt in her hand as her burned arm dangled uselessly at her side. She continued to leak blood into a puddle on the floor.

"Hit her," he demanded. He pointed a single massive digit at the Goddess as he stared Kaname down.

"What? No, I can't," Kaname spluttered as she looked from Pallas to Athena and back. She felt her knees shaking as she turned her attention on the unblemished skin on the back of the Goddess.

Pallas didn't reply. He reached into his breast pocket on his coat before withdrawing a large pair of knuckle weapons. He slipped them over his hands before staring down at Kaname.

"Do it," Athena spoke aloud.

Kaname began to protest but was silenced when Athena angrily shouted at her. "Do it you stupid girl before he kills us both," she commanded.

Kaname turned to face the Goddess and lifted the leather strap up before bringing it down limply. The leather bounced off of her skin harmlessly as Kaname began to cry uncontrollably.

"Harder!" Pallas exploded at her.

"Do it!" Athena shouted.

Kaname pulled her arm further back before whipping it forward sharply. The leather cracked louder as it connected with the Goddesses skin. She didn't flinch.

Pallas pulled his arm back as though he were preparing to lunge at Athena. The metallic knuckle weapons glimmered in the harsh light of the room as Kaname felt her mouth dry.

"I'll do it!" Kaname cried out. She shook the belt in her hand as she began to splutter and choke on the mucus forming in her nose and mouth. She sobbed as she began to whip and beat Athena with the leather belt rhythmically.

"You stop when I tell you," Pallas commanded.

Kaname counted the blows in her head as she beat Athena harder and harder with the belt. She watched as the beautiful skin on her back grew red at fifty blows and then split open to leave wide weeping bloody wounds at a hundred. She was crying so violently that she couldn't see what she was doing any more. The leather belt landed wild blows that grazed the back of the head of Athena or missed entirely sometimes.

"Enough," Pallas finally spoke. Athena collapsed in a heap as her red and bloodied back left an ever widening pool that mixed with the blood that Kaname was continuing to leak on the floor. "This is how I will punish you. This is the price you will pay Kaname," he thundered. "Your failure will be taken from the flesh of Athena," he turned as he spoke before clapping his hands and vanishing from the room.

Kaname threw the belt across the room and allowed it to slap against the wall before falling to her knees next to the Goddess. She held out her good arm and allowed it to hover over the crumpled form of the Goddess. "What do I do?" she cried out as she stared down at the bloodied and broken body of the Goddess.

Athena grunted as she shifted her weight onto her shoulder and the side of her face before kicking out her legs. She moved her arms slowly until she was laying on her belly with her arms held up towards her head. She shuddered and shook wordlessly.

"I'm so sorry," Kaname chanted repeatedly. She rocked back and forth as she continued to cry and beg for forgiveness. "How do I help?" she interjected as she stared down at Athena.

Athena blew a soft and barely audible shush before falling silent again.

Kaname shuddered before laying down beside the Goddess. She wrapped herself with her good arm as the pair lay in the bloody puddle on the floor together. She continued to choke on her sobs as she stared at the back of Athena's head. She could see the gobs of drying blood in her hair and the cuts on her ear where the errant belt had cut her flesh.

"I'll never leave you," Kaname whispered at Athena. "I'll save you, I promise," she sobbed. "I'll get us both out of here, please forgive me," she spoke as she bit her lip. She shifted her weight to free her good arm and began to dig her thumb into her own wounded arm. She reopened the seeping wound and winced as she caused herself pain. She wanted to demonstrate solidarity with Athena as she quietly worked to cause herself increasing pain and injury.

"I told you to run you stupid girl," Athena breathed softly as she listened to Kaname groan and cry. "You should have ran while you had the chance," she continued to whisper before falling unconscious.

Kaname and Athena drifted in and out of consciousness together as the pair lay on the floor. Kaname never left her side as she attempted to comfort the wounded Goddess.


	9. Ah! A Goddess Prepares For Work?

Sousuke sat with his arms crossed as Urd walked around him with a contemplative look on her face. She held a pair of scissors in her right hand as she used her left to turn and twist Sousuke's head about to gaze at his hair. "I just need a trim," he spoke to her as she continued to eye ball the hair on the top of his head.

"Sure," Urd replied as she reached out, paused, and returned the scissors to the low ready. She still hadn't cut a single hair in the twelve minutes she had spent inspecting his hair. "This needs to be perfect, so you can get the job," she breathed as she wiped at her forehead with the back of her wrist.

"Should I hire someone to do this?" he questioned her. He opened one eye and watched as she continued to eye ball different parts of his head.

"No, I got this," Urd replied before taking a deep breath and reaching out to hold up a few strands of hair. She snipped them softly and watched as the tuft tumbled down his shoulder. "See," she spoke as a tiny grin lifted the corner of her lip.

Sousuke closed his eyes again and went back to allowing her to work. He relaxed as Urd continued to snip and lift with increasing frequency as she grew more comfortable with cutting his hair.

"OK, look," she finally spoke as she stepped away from him and admired her handy work.

Sousuke opened his eyes and looked into the mirror to find that she had done a acceptable job. She had attempted to replicate his fade and trimmed the top of his head. He turned his head back and forth as he checked the different parts. "Can you shave my neck?" he questioned her.

"Sure," Urd replied before reaching for his shaving cream and razor. The Goddess lathered the back of his neck and squared off his hair cut, ensuring that he didn't have any errant hairs running down his back. She wiped him down with a hot towel and inspected his neck carefully. "Looks good I think," she spoke as she returned the grooming implements to the sink.

"Thank you," Sousuke spoke as he ran his hand through his hair. He stood and waited patiently until he was allowed access to the sink before washing his head, face, and neck under the warm running water. He dried off on one of the towels and inspected himself a few more times in the mirror before nodding his head. "Looks very good," he confirmed again.

Urd beamed as she finished cleaning and putting away the cleaning implements. She reached out and hugged him. The pair held each other for several seconds before exiting the bathroom together. Skuld stood in the hallway patiently with a lollipop in her mouth. She looked at Sousuke's hair cut for several seconds before tossing him a thumbs up. She then slid past the pair into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Urd followed Sousuke into the kitchen. She watched as he approached the refrigerator and pulled down his interview letter from under a magnet holding it to the device. "Tomorrow, right?" Urd asked him softly as she sat at the kitchen table.

Sousuke grunted an affirmative reply before opening the fridge and drawing a small individual serving size of milk from the fridge. He shut the door and turned before closing the gap with Urd and sitting at the chair next to hers. He took a drink from the milk box before proffering it towards Urd. She accepted it and pressed the drink to her lips before returning it to him.

Sousuke continued to reread the letter, looking for any hints or information that he may have missed. "I need to wear a suit," he spoke to himself as he read the instructions. He paused before turning to Urd. "I hope I get the car today."

"If not, Skuld can take you," Urd volunteered her sister as she placed her elbows out onto the table and intertwined her fingers to make a bridge that she rested her chin on. She watched Sousuke read while he drank his milk. The cinnamon skinned Goddess couldn't help but smile.

It was several minutes later when the phone began to ring. Sousuke stood and walked to the hallway where he lifted the receiver to his ear. "Morisato, Sagara,... and Skuld residence," he spoke as he noticed Skuld eying him from her room. She grinned at him.

"Hey partner!" Herb nearly shouted into the phone. "You can come by and pick up your car when ever you are ready," he continued.

"Most excellent," Sousuke replied. He felt excitement and relief at the idea of acquiring his vehicle before his job interview. He was happy to know he wouldn't have to rent a cab or rely on someone else to make sure he got to his appointment on time. "I will be there shortly," he stated before hanging up.

"Car?" Skuld questioned him.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied.

Skuld held up her keys and jingled them as she grinned wildly. "Let's do it," she exclaimed as she moved from the doorway of her room towards the kitchen.

Sousuke laughed as the pair walked into the kitchen together. Urd smiled at the pair as she relished their infectious joy. "The car is ready?" she questioned him as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her.

"It is!" he laughed as he kissed her on the lips. He lifted her lightly and twirled her for a few inches before placing her back on the floor. "I love you so much, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met," he gushed before placing several more kisses on her face.

"What got into you?" Urd laughed as she nuzzled into his chest. She withdrew and pointed at the door. "Well, go get it!" she laughed.

Sousuke turned and reached up quickly. Skuld had summoned his helmet and tossed it to him. He put it on his head and the pair made their way to the Banpei RR.

"Do you want me to cook?" Urd asked as he mounted the bike behind Skuld.

"No, I will take you to dinner tonight, dress up," Sousuke replied.

Urd waved and smiled as she watched Skuld accelerating away. She turned and entered the home before heading for their bedroom. She had some special plans that she wanted to accomplish. She made her way to the closet, opened the door, and began rummaging.

"Where did Skuld and Sousuke go?" Belldandy as she stood in the doorway to Urd's room. The two sisters made eye contact and Urd grinned.

"They went to get Sousuke his car," Urd felt her lips tugging higher. "So, I am glad you are here because Sousuke and I are going out tonight before he goes to his interview," she spoke before withdrawing a magazine from the closet.

"What do you need from me?" Belldandy asked her.

"Well, since I can't do magic, I was wondering if you could do me a favor," Urd explained as she began to flip through the magazine.

"Of course," Belldandy smiled serenely as she watched Urd.

"Here," Urd spoke as she held out the magazine. The magazine appeared to be a racy spread full of attractive young girls wearing different provocative outfits. Urd pressed the magazine into the outstretched hands of Belldandy before placing her index finger on the page.

"Urd?" Belldandy questioned as her eyes grew wide.

"Can you use your magic to dress me up like this?" she questioned as she grinned. "I know it is kind of weird to have to ask, but since I can't cast spells, it would be nice if you helped me out," she smirked.

Belldandy blinked several times before lifting the magazine up and taking a long look at it. "I suppose I could Urd," Belldandy replied. She studied the page carefully before looking back up at Urd. "Will there be a second outfit?"

Urd took the magazine back from her, dog eared the page, and then flipped forward several pages before locating another picture spread. She pointed at the outfit and laughed as she looked at the shock that Belldandy wore. "This one," she grinned.

"OK," Belldandy spoke slowly as she took back the booklet and began to flip back and forth between the pages. She studied the two out fits carefully. "You are sure?" she questioned one more time as she felt obligated.

Urd began to laugh as she watched Belldandy. "Yes, I am sure," she spoke before holding out her arms and allowing her sister to look at them. "I am covered in squiggles. Do you think this makes it any worse?" she asked.

"I suppose," Belldandy replied. "I need to be honest with you. I am really glad that my markings are not visible when I wear clothing. It makes me feel more comfortable," she continued.

Urd smirked. "I would write the name Sousuke on my forehead if I thought I wouldn't get in trouble with him," she began to laugh as she stared at the stricken look that Belldandy wore. "Oh come on, you don't feel the same way for Keiichi?" she prodded.

"I do, I think, I just wouldn't want to put a target like that on myself," Belldandy replied. "Prudence and caution," she breathed before looking at the magazine a final time. "Do you want this now?"

"Can we do it as soon as he gets home?" Urd asked.

"Sure," Belldandy replied before handing the magazine back.

\scenebreak

"Are we prepared for the interviews tomorrow?" Marller questioned as she looked about the room they had rented from Mithril. She wore a pair of black slacks and a loose black tank top with a pair of black heeled boots.

"I would say so," Tessa replied. She had her hair up in a pony tail and was wearing a white shirt and pants with matching boots. "We will start by having the applicants..." her voice trailed off as she watched Tamiya carefully inspecting the roster of recruits they had left on the table. "Have you finished moving the furniture?" she asked him.

The powerfully built auto club member looked up from the papers and nodded once. He replaced the papers carefully before approaching Marller and Tessa. "Is there anything else that needs to be accomplished?" he inquired.

"Can you do me a favor and keep an eye out for our babysitter, Lind? She is supposed to be headed this way for an introduction and we have wards that will force her to appear in the waiting room," Marller spoke kindly to the rough looking friend of Tessa's.

Tamiya grunted in reply before leaving the room and heading to stand near the door. He stood with his hands on his hips and stared directly into the center of the waiting room. He made a decision and reached out to pull the door shut leaving Marller and Tessa alone.

"Look, let's get this straight, we want Sousuke," Marller spoke the moment the door shut.

"He is most qualified and the obvious candidate," Tessa replied.

"Lind is going to work to block that," Marller continued.

"Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less," Tessa nodded as she moved towards the center interview desk and hopped up to sit on the edge.

"All of the paper work, the tests, and the documents must be perfect," Marller sighed. "I don't want to leave them a single hand hold when they try to stop this," she stared at Tessa nervously.

"This is new ground for a lot of folks but I know that we can make it happen," Tessa spoke.

The sound of three sharp knocks interrupted the pair and their speaking. Marller smiled internally about Tamiya. "Come in," she spoke commandingly.

The door opened and Tamiya entered. He held the door before ushering the Goddess Lind through the threshold. "They are here," he spoke before closing the door behind himself wordlessly. He left the trio in the room alone.

"Ms. Lind," Tessa began to speak but was interrupted as the Goddess shot her a withering look.

"Valkyrie Lind," the Goddess corrected as she leveled her steely gaze on Marller. "None of us want me to be here so let's just get it straight," she growled as she stared at Marller. "We have serious concerns about you recruiting a human and we still have concerns about the fact that you have not reported anything about the 'Battle for Hell' as it is known."

"We aren't here to discuss that," Marller replied snappishly. "We ARE here to make a decision on our legal hiring of a volunteer," she continued to speak before halting as Lind held up her hand.

"Spare me the theatrics Marller," Lind froze as the Demoness interrupted her.

"Magus Marller," she proffered forcefully.

The pair stared daggers at each other.

"Ladies, how about we take a seat," Tessa offered with little room for interpretation. She had made a demand.

The three made their way to the table and sat. Lind on one side with Marller directly across from her. Tessa pulled up a chair and sat to the side in between the pair.

"Why are you so against Marller hiring Sousuke?" Tessa asked Lind point blank.

"That question is the exact reason why this entire process is a farce. You don't even understand what you are contributing to," Lind spat as she slammed both of her hands on the table. The force of her hands compressed the wood enough that it left imprints of her digits.

"Humor me," Tessa replied calmly.

"They have at least one Ten-K and possibly another," Lind replied. She rubbed at her forehead for a split second before sighing. "A Ten-K is the slang term for a Goddess who can destroy an army of ten thousand single handedly."

Tessa gave her a look of disbelief before turning her attention on Marller. "Who are they talking about?"

"They think that Urd is going to secretly start serving Hild," Marller replied as she rolled her eyes. The Demoness crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat as she shot an exasperated glare at Lind.

"Don't try to play us!" Lind nearly exploded. "We know that Hild and Sousuke have a more than cordial relationship, and what ever he asks, Urd would do!" she continued to glare.

"We ate dinner with him one time," Marller shook her head and smirked. She began to look at Lind as though she were an obstinate child instead of a dangerous Valkyrie.

"He was willing to destroy the Universe to protect Hild," Lind hissed as she leaned forward onto the table with her palms downwards. "His actions tell me a lot," Lind whispered through grit teeth.

"I wasn't there to witness any of these claims," Marller replied. The grinning Demoness shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head to the side. "The only ones who claim that he behaved inappropriately are Valkyries," she continued before clucking her tongue. "Sad really," she continued.

Lind seethed.

"You know, it would take a real idiot to invade the home of the ruler of Hell under the pretense of providing relief. Luckily there isn't any one in this Universe who would threaten my Queen and then complain when someone prevented a war by scaring her off," Marller behaved in an overly thought filled manner as she stared wistfully into the corner.

"Only an ass hole," Lind concurred with a glint in her eyes. She looked positively ready to burst as she gnashed her teeth.

"Enough of this," Tessa barked angrily. Lind and Marller rotated to face her with a look of surprise on their face as her previously calm demeanor melted.

"You, outside," she demanded as she pointed at Marller. The Demoness looked offended for a moment before standing and exiting the room wordlessly. She didn't so much as look twice as she shut the door behind herself.

"You," Tessa grumbled as she pointed at Lind, "Give me your top objection to Sousuke taking this position," she pressed the finger tip of her left index finger onto the table as she tried to make her point.

"We don't think this is a prudent course of action and could spur an arms race as Goddesses and Demons start getting bred for the sole purpose of making fighting machines," she replied bluntly.

"Sousuke isn't a Goddess," replied Tessa. She leveled a calm gaze on Lind. "I need an actual objection in relation to Sousuke himself and not to his girlfriend or family," she continued to speak.

Lind grew silent. The Valkyrie appeared ready to reply but would fall silent as she attempted to formulate an acceptable answer. "I don't think that Hild and Marller are hiring Sousuke just because he has a little combat experience," she finally replied.

"Not my problem," Tessa replied. She crossed her arms and sighed before continuing to speak. "No one does any thing transparently. This holds true in our line of work," she paused before reaching into her pocket and withdrawing a small coin purse. She used her finger tips to open the latch and fished around inside with her index finger before withdrawing a tiny photo of Sousuke. She then placed it on the desk.

Lind looked intently at the tattered and well worn image. The soldier was standing at attention beside a grinning Tessa who was leaning against him. He wore no smile and he appeared distinctly uncomfortable with her physical affection. "I know what he looks like," Lind spoke.

"I do too," Tessa replied. "The way I see it, I am the deciding factor on how this deal goes and I need your view point. Heaven," she jabbed a finger at Lind. "Earth," she pointed at herself. "Hell," she pointed at the door. "It requires a majority vote and right now, I want to know what the real problem is before I put someone I love in harms way," she breathed angrily.

"Hild is manipulating the whole lot of you and we don't know what she wants," Lind replied. "Sousuke is in the sights of a lot of very powerful people who are going to be very upset if he signs up for this job," she continued. "He is in danger," she finished.

"Sousuke is always in danger," Tessa replied flippantly. "It's my job to protect him the way I can," she reached down and placed the image back into her coin purse and tucked it away. "I am going to provide my consent for the hiring process. Tomorrow we will do the interviews and if there are no objections on his part, I would report back that he is being hired."

"You are condemning this world to a war," Lind replied. She scowled at Tessa before standing. "I can see that we do not have an ally in you Tessa."

"Let's get one thing straight," Tessa replied with a cool demeanor and even voice. "I am here for Sousuke and for no one else. I have ended the lives of men and sent my own soldiers on missions where they never came back. I am well versed in war. You are not going to find a person more willing to look at every angle here, but you are not presenting a worth while argument. Sousuke gets rich by playing soldier with some monsters and you all want to start whoring out your friends and family? Do it," she let her words cut like a knife as Lind gaped at her.

"So be it," Lind replied as she stood and turned towards the door. She moved so quickly it caused an eruption of wind in the room that blew Tessa's hair around and spilled all of the papers on the desk into the air. The door blew open at her touch and she vanished the moment she made it past the wards.

"Are you all right?" Marller asked carefully. She explored the room with her eyes before visibly relaxing. "I didn't think she would be stupid enough to hurt you, but really, I had one of those 'what if' moments right there," she grinned at Tessa. The demoness flashed her sharpened fangs for a moment before relaxing and snapping her fingers. The papers returned to their place on the desk.

"I can't wait until this is over," Tessa sighed as she stretched her arms over her head before beckoning Tamiya to herself. "You drive me somewhere I can get drunk tonight and I will reward you handsomely," she barked the order at him as he smiled serenely at her.

"What does my Goddess demand?" Tamiya questioned her much to the chagrin of Marller.

"Surprise me," Tessa replied as she motioned to the door. "I will be here tomorrow bright and early so we can begin the tests and get this over with. See you then," she smiled at Marller.

"Have a good evening," Marller replied as she flipped the lights off to the room and shut the door. The trio made their way out of the building together before Marller vanished in an acrid puff of smoke that revealed her direct teleportation to Hell.

Tamiya held up his hands and caught the keys that Tessa tossed at him. The small ring of keys jingled as they approached Tessa's Lexus RCF. The bright red sports car glimmered under the twilight sky as Tamiya approached the passenger door and opened it for Tessa. She patted him on the head before entering the vehicle and pulling her seat belt down over her chest.

"Will every thing be all right?" Tamiya asked her as he entered the drivers side, belted himself in, and started the motor. The vehicle hummed dangerously as they sat in the parking lot in silence.

"I want to lie to you and tell you yes," Tessa replied as she leaned back into the well bolstered leather seat and closed her eyes. She shifted her body to the side and curled up into the thick leather with a wistful sight. "Can you wake me when you get me where you are taking me?"

Tamiya replied by shifting the vehicle into drive and pulling out of the parking lot at a calm pace. He began to drive as he thought about where exactly he should take his girlfriend. He knew that she loved good wine, fancy dining, and adventure. He grew more contemplative as he passed stop light after stop light before making a left towards the main high way. He figured out where he wanted to take her.

\scenebreak

Sousuke pulled the Charger into the yard of his home slowly. The massive vehicle growled furiously as it continued to operate on all eight cylinders. He grinned for several seconds before turning the key to the off position and making his way out of the vehicle. He could hear the sound of the radiator thumping and burbling as he passed the nose of the vehicle and made his way towards the house.

Skuld pulled into the drive way a few moments later and parked her bike near the massive vehicle. She whooped as she dismounted from her motorcycle and ran to catch up with Sousuke. She hopped up and threw her arms around his neck before interlocking her legs around his body. She laughed maniacally as Sousuke continued to walk towards the house.

"You should drive it," he spoke as he halted at the door. He pointed at the floor and the tiny Goddess jumped down off of his back before following him into the home.

"Awesome! I will do that eventually!" she nearly cried out as she began to make her way down the hall. "I need to make a call," she spoke before reaching down to unhook her radio phone from her belt and vanishing into her room.

"Hey," the sultry voice of Urd caught his attention as he turned towards the kitchen. Sousuke was floored as he stared at the beautiful Goddess and the clothing that she wore.

Urd grinned cheekily as she shifted her body back and forth in a gentle sway. She was wearing a knee length sun dress in alternating colors of black and white. She had clipped stockings that covered her legs up to her knees and a pair of metal rings on her middle fingers that both sprouted chains that ended in bracelets on either wrist. She also had ear rings that were made in the shape of tiny P$90$ carbines. Her boots laced up her legs over the stockings.

Sousuke felt his mouth dry as he stared at her. He struggled to form words or speech as he gazed at the beautiful woman before him.

"We are still doing dinner, right?" She questioned before twirling once. She revealed the shimmering silver embroidery of wings on the back of the dress before turning to face him again.

"We are," Sousuke replied. He moved towards her rapidly before slipping his hands from her thighs up under her dress. He captured her lips with his before looking shocked as Urd laughed.

"No panties," The Goddess laughed as he explored her bare flesh under the dress for a moment. He withdrew his hands and smiled at her.

"I almost forgot!" she spoke before withdrawing something from her pocket. She handed the object to Sousuke and turned before raising her hands to lift her hair out of the way.

Sousuke looked down into his hands and discovered she had handed him a lace and chain choker that he wrapped around her neck and clasped. He gazed at her pig tails as she visibly relaxed as he placed the necklace on her.

"Thanks," she giggled before reaching up and grabbing his face. They shared another kiss before breaking. "We should go," she spoke.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied as he motioned towards the door. He stumbled for a moment as he turned his head to watch Belldandy snap her fingers once. He found himself wearing a suit and tie that was in black. He was well dressed after her magical ministrations.

Sousuke nodded at her and she returned the gesture in kind. He held out his arms and looked down at himself. He appreciated the quality of the out fit she had put on him. It was made of extremely fine materials and stitched well. He liked it.

Urd grinned at Sousuke as the pair made their way to his vehicle. He followed her to the passenger door before reaching past her and opening it for her. The Goddess gave him a peck on the cheek before entering the vehicle and allowing Sousuke to close the door behind her.

Sousuke made his way around the vehicle to the drivers side before opening the door and entering. He sat in the heavy leather seat and actuated the ignition before pulling his seat belt down over his chest and reaching over to pat her leg. The radio blinked to life and a commercial began to play for a restaurant located in the far down town section of the city.

"Let's go there," Sousuke replied as he pointed at the radio. It sounded extremely fancy and the appropriate place for them to wear their out fits.

"It says we need reservations," Urd pouted as she began to listen intently to the claims of entertainment, food, and an intimate dining experience.

Sousuke shrugged before pulling the radio that Skuld had made him out of the glove box and pressing digits on the device. He tuned the speaker with a knob on the top of the device before it began to ring the restaurant.

"La Petite Fenêtre," the feminine voice came over the device. "How may I help you?"

"Greetings, I am interested in attaining a reservation for two for the chefs table. I would like it for this evening," Sousuke spoke to the representative from the restaurant.

"Normally we have a four week waiting list but you are in luck, we had a cancellation only minutes ago and we have space available for two. Are you familiar with the eating arrangements?" the woman questioned him.

"Of sorts," Sousuke replied. "We have no dietary restrictions and no special requests," he replied.

"Excellent, the table will be available in an hour," the woman replied.

"We are on our way," Sousuke spoke. "Please hold the table under Sagara," he smiled before patting Urd on the leg.

"Of course sir, thank you for your call," the woman replied before hanging up.

"How lucky!" Urd exclaimed as the pair began their trip to the restaurant. "Have you ever done a chef table dinner before?" she asked Sousuke as she began to rummage and explore the vehicle. She seemed to share the same interest in investigating all of the nooks and crannies as Skuld did.

"Lucky is a good word for it," Sousuke replied as he accelerated towards the on ramp. They had a long journey to reach the heart of the city. The radio continued to play popular songs between different bouts of commercials. The sun dipped below the horizon and the automatic headlights on the vehicle engaged to illuminate the road.

"This is exciting," Urd spoke as she gazed out of the windows. "It's like I am a human girl," she spoke excitedly. "We are going on a trip in a car and I can't fast travel using magic and you are so handsome," she gushed as she began to press her nose against the glass to the window. She was trying to look into the other cars on the highway as they sped down the road.

Sousuke smiled as he occasionally shot her a sideways glance when safety permitted. He chuckled softly as she pulled her head away from the glass and glared at him. Her face left an outline on the glass.

"Are you laughing?" she asked him as she smiled.

"Just happy to see you so happy," he explained as they finally exited the freeway. The trip seemed to take much less time than he anticipated and he had no troubles in locating the restaurant. The Charger grumbled powerfully as he slunk into a spot and brought the beast to a halt. "Wait here," he spoke as he exited the vehicle and made his way to her door. He continued to look about the parking lot as he opened the door to the vehicle and extended a hand to assist Urd out of the vehicle.

"Thank you," she grinned as she latched onto his arm. Urd could hear the Charger beep as Sousuke pressed a button on his key fob before tucking them into the front coat pocket of his suit. "This is so fun! It's like being human!" she continued to whisper towards him as they made their way towards the well lit front of the building.

The door opened and a smiling young girl stood in the door way as they approached. She ushered them inside with a flourish of her hands. "Welcome!" she smiled wide as she eyed the pair.

"We have a reservation for two for Sousuke Sagara," the soldier spoke as he looked about the restaurant. Numerous patrons were sitting around white table cloth covered tables replete with flowers and candles arranged on each.

"Fancy," Urd whispered into his ear as she leaned towards him and grinned.

Sousuke nodded once.

"Please, follow me," the waitress spoke. She gestured towards a pair of double doors near the back of the dining room. "Have you ever experienced a Chef's Table?" she asked.

"Negative," Sousuke replied as Urd shook her head in the negative as well.

"You will be eating in the kitchen as Chef Sease prepares many of his world famous meals for you," the waitress explained as they made their way in between the tables and ever closer to the kitchen. "This is an intimate dining experience so you will be eating with only three other couples," she continued before pressing her hand out to open one of the doors for the pair. She leaned against it as Sousuke led Urd into the room, his head on a swivel as he looked about.

Sousuke felt his eyes immediately drawn to the table where he spotted the familiar silver pony tail of Tessa Testarossa. The wide frame of Tamiya dwarfed her with his massive shoulders and well built arms that he held crossed over his chest. Three empty tumblers and a third half full sat in front of Tessa on the massive metal table.

"Please, have a seat here," the waitress offered as she gestured at two open seats on the side of the table. Urd and Sousuke moved to the table and Sousuke reached out to pat Tessa on her shoulder. "Greetings Commander," he spoke as he withdrew Urd's chair.

"Sousuke!" Tessa shouted as she nearly tumbled right out of her chair. She cheered as she hefted her glass up and hopped up and off of the metal chair. She extended her arms and hugged Sousuke before releasing him and moving to Urd to repeat the gesture. "You look down right sexy!" she squealed in Urd's ear as she stepped back and motioned for the two to sit.

Tamiya grunted a greeting before shaking hands with Sousuke. He then nodded at Urd. His usual stoic attitude remained firm as he remained calm at the surprise of the pair showing up for dinner.

"Fancy meeting you here," Tessa breathed through large gulps of her mixed drink. She pointed at Urd before querying, "Would you like a drink?"

"I think I will have iced tea," Urd replied with a sheepish smile.

"No sake?" Tessa pressed her.

"We are playing it safe," Urd replied as she held up her hands to wave off any attempts to provide her with alcohol.

"Safe?" Tessa questioned her with a confused look before her eyes grew wide. "You are pregnant?!" she practically shouted as her glass tipped dangerously to the side in her hand.

"Urd and I will be parents soon," Sousuke confirmed with a nod as he turned to smile at her.

"When were you going to tell us?!" Tessa nearly exploded as she stared at Sousuke incredulously.

"Soon," Sousuke replied with a shrug. He wasn't sure any one would be interested in their current situation with all of the other important business happening as it was. "I just didn't think people would care," he replied with a shrug.

Tessa scowled at him before standing. "Switch, now!" she demanded. The inebriated woman swayed for a moment as she shook her head at him incredulously. "You knock up your girlfriend and think none of us would care?" she practically shouted.

Sousuke was dumb founded as Tessa looked back and forth between Urd and himself. He stood quickly and offered his chair to the young commander who immediately pressed the chair close to Urd and sat down. He watched as Tessa downed the rest of her drink before leaning forward on her hands and pressing her face uncomfortably close to Urd.

"Well?" Tessa questioned the Goddess.

Urd broke eye contact with Tessa before passing a confused look at Sousuke. "I am having a baby," she spoke slowly.

"How far along are you?" Tessa pressed.

"Close," Urd replied with a grin.

Tessa scowled at the Goddess as she ran her eyes up and down her body. "Close? You don't show? If this monster knocked me up I would probably look like I swallowed a balloon," she spat as she jerked her thumb at Tamiya.

The auto club member shifted uncomfortably in his seat but kept a passive face.

Sousuke heard the double doors open and the waitress step inside again. She held the door with a strange look on her face. She looked awestruck and Sousuke realized why as the tall and leggy form of Hild entered the room. The Lord of Hell herself grinned and slowly raised her index finger to her lip as she eyed Sousuke. Tessa and Urd had not noticed her entrance yet and were deep in conversation.

Hild was covered in jewelery from head to toe. She was weighed down with silver, gold, platinum, and an endless number of diamonds and rubies that even hung from her hair she had pulled into a bun. Under the fortune of jewelery she wore a simple white dress and a pair of black high heels. Hild moved unnaturally silently until she was directly behind Urd before throwing her arms around her neck and erupting into a squeal of pleasure. "Urd my love! How are you!?" she cried out as she held her daughter close to her chest.

Urd blanched as she froze in the arms of Hild. Her eyes flickered to Sousuke and she showed real fear in the radiant purple pools of her eyes. "Hello Hild," Urd offered lamely as she tepidly patted her arm that was looped around her neck. "I'm surprised you are here," she continued.

"Oh Urd! It's so good to see you and Sousuke! This is a real pleasant surprise!" she beamed excitedly before releasing Urd and moving to hug Sousuke as well. She was overly gentle in holding him before releasing him and pointing. "May I?" she inquired to Tamiya. The man stood quickly and offered his chair to Hild before moving down the line to another seat.

A few seconds later Marller entered the room, shot a confused glance at the people sitting around the table, and then turned to beckon her date in. "Hello every one," Marller spoke over her shoulder as she held an odd expression. "I apparently work with or know every one here," she spoke before reaching out and grabbing the hand of a man that she pulled through the door.

Sousuke watched as a gentleman wearing a suit much like his own entered the room holding Marller's hand. The pair made their way to the opposite side of the table and sat next to each other.

"Oh my! Who is this?" Hild questioned as she eye balled the gentleman Marller had brought.

"Ma'am," the man spoke. He was about to introduce himself when Sousuke interrupted him.

"Atsunobu-san?" Sousuke questioned slowly. He recognized the silver hair, spectacles, and aloof attitude of the man. "Is that you?"

"Sousuke?" Atsunobu smiled before extending a hand to shake his hand.

"You two know each other?" Marller questioned exasperatedly. She looked back and forth between the two.

"We were fellows at our High School," Atsunobu offered. "Is Kaname coming?" he questioned Sousuke with a friendly grin.

Urd scowled as the room dropped in temperature.

Atsunobu realized his mistake instantly before turning his attention on Urd. "My apologies," he replied before gesturing towards her. "Who is this visage of beauty?" he asked Sousuke.

"This is Urd, my girlfriend," Sousuke introduce the pair.

"My pleasure," Atsunobu replied.

"How did you two meet?" Urd asked immediately.

Marller and Atsunobu shared a look before the pair leveled their eyes on Urd. "Craigslist," the pair replied immediately. "I was looking for someone to enjoy dinner tonight with and Marller responded," he explained.

"Did you bring a date?" Urd questioned Hild curiously.

"I did," she replied as she gestured at the door. The door opened as if on cue and a rather large man wearing a cowboy hat entered the room. His boots thudded forcefully on the ground as he made his way towards Hild, paused, and tipped his hat at the rest of the women at the table.

"This is my daughter Urd, her boyfriend Sousuke, and I believe you know Marller," Hild grinned as more pleasantries were exchanged and greetings made.

"Arm Slave Pilot?" Hild's date questioned as he extended his hand to Sousuke The pair shook and Sousuke gave him a curious look.

"I am, or I was. Did Hild talk to you about me?" Sousuke asked the man.

"Intelligence Officer for a United States military contractor, I can tell by your eyes," the man explained.

"How?" Tessa asked him with a strange look on her face.

"Horizontal Nystagmus of the eyes," he offered as though it were plain as day.

"That isn't scientific fact," Tessa barked back at him angrily.

"Excuse me?" Urd spoke up.

"I bet you piloted something with a Lambda Drive," the man continued to speak. "It's well known, although not proved, that Arm Slaves with wet ware connections eventually cause neurological damage that leads to bouncing in the eyes," the man explained simply. "I would guess you have activated the Lambda Drive, what, twelve to fifteen times?" he asked.

Sousuke seemed thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Sounds right," he replied. "Do you pilot as well?"

"Nope, I just work in Intelligence," the man explained. "Captain Rockwell," he finally introduced himself.

Tessa rotated to face Sousuke before squinting hard at him. She reached up, grabbed his face with both hands and pulled him close to her. She began to stare at his eye balls carefully before burping lightly in his face. Sousuke could feel his eyes sting from the scent of alcohol on her breath.

"The Lambda Driver is completely safe," Tessa barked as she released Sousuke and grew angry with the man who had sat down next to Hild.

Captain Rockwell shrugged. "We thought so too, but we now have a hard cap of twenty activations before you have to retire," he spoke. "We had a guy who hit fifty activations and had is the operative word," he continued. "You really don't want to get past twenty."

"Good thing you don't pilot any more," Urd piped up. She smiled softly at Sousuke. He smiled back at her and nodded once.

The table grew quiet as drinks were delivered and alcoholic beverage orders were taken. The waitress assured the group that Chef Sease would be with them shortly. She was correct. An older black man wearing a white chef's smock entered the room. He had graying hair and carried himself with a dignified air.

"Hello ya'll!" Chef Sease greeted the table as he gazed at the group surrounding the table. "I see some familiar faces. How you doing Hild? Things good Mr. Atsunobu? Tamiya, what is good?" the man questioned as they voiced their confirmations.

"Tonight, our menu will consist of Pumpkin Soup, prawns in white wine sauce, Korean kalbi style short ribs with kimchi, freedom fries cooked in duck fat, and chocolate mousse parfait served with coffee and milk. Every one also receives a cordial with their meal. The two drinks we have on offer are the Black Russian made with Vodka and Kahlua or an Amaretto Sour." Chef Sease broke down the meal and the offerings for the evening to the group. He gave a serious gaze around the table before inquiring, "Does any one here have any dietary restrictions or allergies I need to be cognizant of?"

The murmurs of answers in the negative filled the air as each person at the table assured the Chef of their readiness to partake in the dinner being offered.

Chef Sease began to prepare their meal, delivering plate after plate of delicious food as he entertained them in turn. "So who is this beautiful young girl?" he questioned as he gestured towards Urd with a ladle.

"That is my daughter Urd," Hild spoke up excitedly. "Don't we look alike?" Hild continued to speak as she leaned forward and smiled wide.

"Just alike!" Chef Sease replied as he continued to prepare the meal and pass plates, bowls, and other accouterments out as necessary.

As the Chef worked, Urd turned to face Hild and questioned her softly. "What brings you here tonight?"

"Happenstance," Hild replied cheerily.

Urd rolled her eyes and sulked in her seat as she stared at her mother. She knew that Hild and 'happenstance' do not mix. "You aren't here to keep Sousuke from getting his new job are you?" she pressed.

Hild smirked before lifting her glass to her lips. She drank slowly as she leveled her eyes on Sousuke. After a few moments she placed the glass down softly and turned her attention back to Urd. "Darling, I do have a stake in his choice of work, but I am far from wanting to keep him from succeeding," she replied casually.

"I knew it," Urd scowled deeper.

"You will get wrinkles," Hild warned as she gestured towards the dour expression that Urd wore.

Sousuke grew contemplative as he scooped a mouthful of soup to his lips. He turned his eyes between each of the individuals at the table as he seemed to put the pieces together. "The company is a shell for Mithril and Tessa is working with Hild on something," he spoke slowly as he made eye contact with the now attentive Tessa.

"Actually, we are doing consulting work for Hild," Tessa explained. She took another sip of her drink before grinning. "You are going to interview with a company owned by Hild, we are just assisting with the hiring process and the interview program," she continued to explain to him.

Sousuke nodded. He appeared distinctly uncomfortable with the current events.

"Hey," Tessa interrupted his thoughts. "You need to understand something, since we all know how you are about nepotism," she continued with an exasperated tone to her voice. "You chose to apply for the position and you are being measured against your own accomplishments. So get over it." Tessa huffed.

Sousuke nodded and sighed. He let his gaze travel around the table once more. Urd and Hild were discussing the finer points of magical child rearing, Tamiya was enjoying his meal, Tessa was swaying, and Marller and Atsunobu were discussing old movies. He finally met eye contact with the man known as Captain Rockwell and the pair sized each other up for several seconds.

"How is it being retired?" Rockwell inquired.

"Good," Sousuke replied with a shrug. He gestured towards Urd with his spoon before cracking a soft smile. "It has perks," he continued. "How did you know I was retired?"

"Easy guess," Rockwell replied. He adjusted his hat before jerking his chin towards Hild. "She is hard to read. I would think she was a young'en but she has a grown daughter. I have a son my self," he continued to speak.

Sousuke realized that Captain Rockwell was much older than him. Their shared experiences gave them a common ground in discussion however that made it easy to communicate.

"You should take the job," he offered Sousuke.

Sousuke felt him self involuntarily scowl.

"Look, hear me out because I have been there," Rockwell continued. "You are young, got some injuries, and are on a pension right?" He waited for a nod from Sousuke before continuing. "You need to provide for your family. There ain't no shame in taking a job doing what you know how to do for people you care about."

"True," Sousuke nodded. He turned his head slightly and caught the glimmer of teeth as Hild smirked before returning to a passive resting face.

"Take the job, get the pay check, and take care of your family. It's that easy," he finished. He pointed at Urd before smiling. "She is a pretty girl and you got a lot going for you. Don't mess it up," he finished.

Sousuke nodded. He took another slurp of his soup before another plate was shoved under his nose. Chef Sease had fallen silent in his toils as he allowed all members of the table to eat and talk amongst themselves. "Well, I still have to interview. If it goes well, I will take the job."

Rockwell reached into his pocket and passed him a business card. The nondescript slip of cardboard like paper was white with a simple phone number embossed into it with no other identifiable information. "Call me if you ever need some thing. Any friend of Hild's is a friend of mine," he explained.

Sousuke nodded once before setting his eyes on Urd again. He watched her as she cautiously questioned Hild about expectations and experiences. The pair seemed to be getting along well and Urd almost looked to be enjoying herself as she alternated between conversation and bites of the meal.

Hild spoke animatedly as she gestured at Urd, Sousuke, and sometimes just gesticulated her hands for the sheer pleasure of it. She was a very physically involved speaker and she seemed genuinely excited about every thing that Urd wanted to talk about. Sousuke wanted to thank her deeply for showing kindness even when Urd was so standoffish.

The group eventually finished their meals and Chef Sease finalized the meal by presenting each guest with a single fresh baked cookie. He smiled and exchanged pleasantries once more around the table before beginning the process of ushering them out of the kitchen. He had two more tables to finish that evening.

Sousuke stretched and smiled before placing an arm around Urd. He hugged her tightly as they made their way out of the restaurant. The group of couples continued to chat and laugh as they meandered into the parking lot. Sousuke, Urd, Hild, and Rockwell stood near the Charger as Tamiya and Tessa waved good bye. Tamiya grinned as Tessa slapped his bottom and cat called him before climbing into the passenger seat of her car.

"Good luck on your job interview tomorrow darling!" Hild gushed before hugging Sousuke tightly. She kissed his cheek before winking at Urd. "He loves you so much!" she beamed before throwing her self into the arms of her date. She feigned tears before kissing Rockwell on the cheek. "Let's go somewhere nice," she purred before waving at the pair.

Sousuke hugged Urd tightly before the pair waved back. The pair entered a rental car with an American brand emblem on the front. Rockwell was driving and Hild sat with a grin on her face in the passenger seat.

"He has no idea," Urd spoke through a smile softly at Sousuke. She chuckled before turning to him and kissing him once more. Their kiss only broken by the uncomfortable grunt of Marller who had meandered over to them.

"Get some sleep. You have a pretty rigorous interview tomorrow," she offered before reaching out to hug Urd. "We should spend an afternoon together. My treat," she spoke before wiping at her eyes. "I'm so happy for you," she stated before turning to Atsunobu and gesturing towards her car. The man smiled wide before scurrying towards the drivers door, opening it for her, and then rushing to the passenger seat with barely a wave.

"What kind of car is that?" Urd questioned Sousuke.

"A Honda," Sousuke replied.

"Like your bike?" Urd asked.

"Affirmative. The same company," he confirmed with a nod.

"It's cute," Urd replied before spotting the silver emblem on the side. "S2000," she spoke softly before turning towards the Charger. "Shall we?"

Sousuke opened the passenger door and ushered Urd inside before making his way to the drivers side and entering again. He gave her a thoughtful gaze before asking something that was on his mind. "Is it fun to be human to you?"

"Huh?" Urd replied. She seemed taken aback by the question before biting her lip softly in thought.

"Hild, Marller, and you are very special and different. Right?" Sousuke replied as Urd gave him an amused scowl. "You don't have to ride in a car or spend time with old beat up soldiers," he continued.

Urd scoffed before pressing her finger tip against her belly. "Well, I do," she smirked.

"You know what I mean," Sousuke replied with a hint of exasperation. Sometimes Urd being coy was not as fun as he would like.

"We don't see it that way. I don't," she corrected herself before continuing. "Yes, my 'world' is a bit different than yours, but really, it's the same. We have politics, love, entertainment, and food. Just like you," she smiled before patting his leg. "It just so happens that each of us is different too. Marller likes aloof boys with money who she can tease. I like a grown man with interesting quirks," she grinned and shrugged.

Sousuke smirked. The pair returned to a comfortable silence as he continued to think about her answers. He finally gathered his thoughts enough to ask another question. "What else can I do to make things better for you?"

Urd turned her head from staring out the window towards him. She reached out to stroke his hair once before allowing her gaze to grow wistful. "You are doing it. Just stay safe," she urged.

Sousuke sighed as he eventually turned off the freeway. "I am going to do what it takes to keep you safe and to protect this family. I am going to do every thing I can to get that job tomorrow," he nodded.

"You don't even know what they want yet," Urd replied.

"It doesn't matter," Sousuke replied as he felt his teeth gritting and his muscles tensing. "I need a job, this is an opportunity, and I am going to give it my all. I want to purchase you something."

Urd nodded once before reaching out to place her hand over his heart. She reached under his arm and left her hand on his chest for several seconds before withdrawing her hand and clasping them both in front of her chest. She prayed for his safety and for success in all of his desires.

After a few moments she seemed to realize what he had said and gave him a guarded look. "Purchase me what?" she questioned.

The stoic soldier flashed her a dangerous grin that pulled his features up into an almost frightful visage. "That is for me to know and for you to not discover using magic."

Urd pouted playfully in her seat as she scowled at him. "No fair," she spoke as she crossed her arms. "Maybe you won't get your special gift tonight," she continued to speak as she reached down to lightly hike her skirt up her thigh before pressing it back down.

Sousuke smiled before his expression hardened as he pulled into the driveway of their home. He was surprised to see Skuld, Belldandy, and two hooded figures standing in the foyer of the home at such a late hour. Skuld smiled wide and timidly flashed a thumbs up at him as he cut the lights on the Charger and shut down the motor.

"It's time," Urd spoke softly as she gazed out at the two figures from her spot in the passenger seat.


	10. Ah! A Goddess Ships Out?

The Collectors, Goddesses tasked with gathering the Valkyrie initiates approached the home of their next target. They both felt excitement at the opportunity to gather the sister of one of the most famous Valkyries to ever graduate from training. They alone were entrusted with escorting Skuld, sister of Belldandy. There wasn't a more exciting request that could have been presented to them.

The pair had attempted to fast travel to the location of their target, but neither could make a connection to any of the acceptable appliances in the home. They had resolved to using their teleportation capabilities to land at the precipice of the property. The crack of their arrival shook the walls and they both took a step back as a massive grinning automaton rushed towards them. The mechanical creature held it's hands up and out in a combat stance as it stared at the pair impassively.

The gentle voice of Belldandy echoed over the yard. "Down Banpei!" she cried out as she made her way out of the doorway and into the darkness. Her clothing flowed behind her as she approached the entry way, waved her hand to dispel the wards, and ushered the pair of Collectors into the yard proper. "Welcome sisters," Belldandy smiled wide at the pair.

"Valkyrie Belldandy," the pair greeted her in return as they followed the Goddess past the robot and towards the entry way to the home. Belldandy stopped several feet from the door and turned to face the hooded figures. She sighed wistfully as she gazed at the pair. "It's been a long time since I was collected for training," she laughed lightly.

"We apologize for interrupting, but we must collect Skuld," the taller Collector spoke with a slight bow towards Belldandy. The normal process of collecting a new Valkyrie recruit often included a mock kidnapping in which the Collectors would snatch that individual from where ever they were.

"I understand," Belldandy spoke before calling out over her shoulder. "Skuld, it is time!"

Skuld exited her room slowly and began to walk down the hall towards the door. She grinned nervously as she hefted a backpack over her shoulder. A bevy of butterflies crashed about inside her tummy as she shot a nervous glance back and forth between the two Collectors.

Belldandy looked towards the entrance to the yard as the Charger containing Sousuke and Urd pulled up. Her eyes shot to the nervous gesture of greeting from Skuld towards the darkened vehicle. "It's time," Belldandy spoke softly before turning to the Collectors. "May I have a moment?"

The pair nodded under their hoods once before walking several feet towards the garden. The pair stood with their backs facing the group.

Urd and Sousuke moved towards Belldandy and Skuld quickly. "Can we say good bye?" Urd questioned rapidly.

"I love you guys," Skuld felt her voice cracking as she stifled a sniffle. "It won't be long though, right?" she finished with a half hearted shrug.

"Move swiftly. Surprise them. Don't falter in your convictions." Sousuke offered before giving the little Goddess a strong hug.

"Speed. Surprise. Violence of action." Skuld grinned as she winked at Sousuke after releasing their embrace.

"I need to tell you something," Belldandy interrupted with a hushed voice. "Don't be surprised if you don't like every thing you see," she continued before leaning down to hug Skuld. "No matter what happens, no one will be upset with you," she continued to speak cryptically before pointing towards the pair of Collectors. "Go," she spoke.

Urd burst into tears before turning to hold Sousuke. She waved furiously as the trio watched Skuld adjust her pack and walk towards the pair of Collectors. "I'm ready," she spoke as she stood between them.

"Ward is down," Belldandy spoke before the three vanished without a sound.

Sousuke turned to look at Belldandy with a quizzical look on his face. "Strange pep talk?" he offered her in question.

"A Valkyrie is trained to kill the marked ones from the very start," Belldandy sighed as she gestured at her own body with her hands. "We are enemy number one in our training and I fear she may not be receptive to their attitudes," she spoke.

Sousuke nodded. "She isn't the kind of girl to take kindly to people threatening her family," he mused as he looked down at Urd.

The lithe Goddess nodded once before flipping her hair back and releasing Sousuke. "I hope she will be all right," she replied before the trio made their way into the house.

\scenebreak

Skuld inhaled sharply as she stumbled forward into the acrid scented air. The sounds of creatures snarling filled her ears the moment she touched the ground with her feet. She felt disorientated and queasy from the fast travel and the loud noises only made it worse. She attempted to shake off the disorientation but a powerful grip on her shoulder startled her.

"Run!" the voice of a female Valkyrie made her head feel like it was splitting as she jerked and stared into the face of the injured Goddess. She nearly stumbled over herself as she recoiled from her damaged visage. The Goddess appeared to have had half of her face sheared off and she suffered from massive bleeding.

"Go!" she cried out again as she pointed her arm outwards. "We are under attack from Hell!" she choked out.

Skuld followed the extended appendage with her eyes until she spotted other trainees. They too were scrambling away from the carnage. Skuld froze, she could still hear the Goddess beside her crying out and screaming at her but she didn't feel the urge to run. She felt as though something were very wrong.

"What are you waiting for? Are you stupid!?" the Goddess screamed into her ear.

Skuld turned to face her and inhaled deeply. She sniffed several times at the now silent Valkyrie. She then looked past her towards the "monsters" in the distance. She continued to smell and listen while pointedly ignoring the Valkyrie who continued to watch her.

"This isn't right. None of this is right," Skuld spoke aloud as she began to look about. The sounds of the 'battle' raging around her began to subside as the floor under her feet began to shimmer. "Those aren't demons," she whispered to herself as she began to walk towards the carnage.

Skuld couldn't see them before they were on her. A single Valkyrie erupted into her vision before gripping her and pulling her into the air. She readied herself to fight back but thought better of it as she allowed herself to go limp in the warriors arms. She winced in pain as she was slammed into the ground roughly and pinned.

"Who do you think you are recruit?" an angry voice bellowed as two more Valkyries approached her. She refrained from struggling as she looked up defiantly at the pair.

"That is Skuld," one of them spoke.

"Belldandy, her sister, must have told her about the first exercise," another spoke with frustration in her voice.

"Belldandy didn't tell me about any of this!" Skuld cried out in defense of her sister. They had never discussed the training itself, but always touched on training to prepare physically for the trials themselves.

"Silence!" the Valkyrie who had pinned her to the ground cried out into her ear.

Skuld recoiled from the Goddess who held her down with an angry look on her face. Skuld could feel the heat in her face roiling as she took deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

"Well, since you have taken it upon yourself to start the exercise with cheating, I think it would be best if you skipped the opening dinner and waited for the other recruits in the dorm," another Valkyrie spoke.

Skuld felt her captor release her and watched as the Goddess stood and moved back. She waited a few moments before pulling herself to her feet and glaring in the direction of the Valkyrie who had removed her feast privilege. "I can't believe I am here all of ten minutes and I am already in trouble," she thought to herself before turning and following the now mobile Valkyries.

"Belldandy is famous amongst Valkyries. She had the highest test scores in the history of the program," the leader spoke aloud as they walked. "It's a shame she betrayed you," the Goddess continued to speak.

Skuld pointedly ignored the Valkyrie.

"I hear she quit a glorious career to serve some bumble-dick on Earth as his eternal play thing," the Valkyrie spat. She cast a sideways glance at Skuld.

Skuld remained passive.

"I heard the filthy half demon in your family got her self some rug burns on her back. If we are lucky, Belldandy will redeem herself by cutting that egg out of her stomach and making it into an omelet we can feed that shit bag human of hers..." the Valkyrie allowed her voice to trail off as she noticed Skuld freeze in mid stride.

Skuld felt her vision fading in and out of focus as she struggled to look anywhere but the Valkyrie team leader before her. "It's just a test..." Skuld chanted under her breath as she struggled to keep walking.

"Something wrong? Don't tell me you have any feelings for that walking garbage dump you call a sister..." the Valkyrie continued to prod as she turned and approached Skuld. The Goddess bent at the waist and pressed her nose against Skulds before allowing her metal crown to bite painfully into her forehead. "Tell me I am wrong then. Give me one reason to have you flayed and expelled," she growled before grunting challengingly at the diminutive Goddess.

Skuld fought to remain passive as she stared straight ahead.

"You think that you are better than this because your looser sister told you some of our secrets?" the Valkyrie questioned as she began to twist her face back and forth allowing the metal crown she wore to dig deeper into the flesh on Skuld's forehead.

Skuld grit her teeth.

After several more tense seconds the Valkyrie turned on her heels and snapped her fingers. The war zone around them completely faded from vision. Skuld admired the technological prowess that the training room demonstrated as she noticed the intricacies of the system. "No scent," she whispered to herself as they continued to walk.

After several minutes of walking through the cold and metallic training chambers they reached a hallway filled with two rows of doors. "You will be in training team seven," the Valkyrie spoke with a hint of malefic mirth. "Enjoy your stay," she finished with a grin before waving her hand and stepping back as the door opened.

Skuld entered the room wordlessly. She suspected it, like the rest of the academy would not respect the normal laws of physics. "It's bigger on the inside," she whispered to herself. She froze in the doorway for a moment to look out amongst the bay she had been assigned. The room was a massive hallway with two rows of bunk beds lining either side.

Skuld spotted two separate doors beyond the one she had entered. She opened one to discover a large stall of latrines. The second door didn't budge under her touch. She followed the left wall past rows of bunks before arbitrarily deciding on one to be hers. The moment she sat on the bed her belongings appeared and clattered to the floor in front of a large metal cabinet that she assumed was also hers.

"What the hell was I thinking?" she wondered aloud as the oppressive silence of the room beat down on her. She cast a nervous sidelong glance about the immediate area for several seconds before rising from the bed and approaching her pile of stuff. She opened the cabinet and began to put away her things.

Skuld felt like it had been hours before the door she entered from opened and a single file of young women filed into the room. She made eye contact with one of them who gave her a quizzical look but no one spoke a word as they marched to their place behind each bed in turn.

"All right you lot, you just earned yourself a chance to be a part of the roughest group of Valkyries in Heaven. We are the Battle Bitches and if you want to earn the right to call your self one, you are going to keep your head in the game. If you don't, I reserve the right to cut you down," a booming voice echoed out over the group.

Skuld moved from her bed to stand beside her locker at attention. She realized that not all of the members of the Valkyries were Goddesses. She noticed several Elves, Fairies, and other fey amongst the rabble of wanna be warriors.

Skuld failed to notice the slowly approaching Valkyrie team leader. She continued to speak as she laid eyes on Skuld and narrowed her lids to slits. "I am Valkyrie Antoinette and will be turning you away from a life of soft and doughy weakness," her voice trailed off as she stopped to stand in front of the preoccupied Skuld.

Skuld snapped her eyes to Valkyrie Antoinette and studied her features for a moment. She was an Elven women with beautiful thick golden hair pulled into a bun, thick and full lips, and cold pale skin. She was the epitome of Elven beauty. Her speech and mannerisms were completely antagonistic to her beautiful airs.

"What is your malfunction trainee?" she bellowed into Skuld's face. "Do you think you are exempt from paying attention because you decided to cheat during the on boarding test?"

Skuld felt her face flush as she noticed the glances from the other trainees in her peripheral vision. She bit her tongue and refused to answer as she stared defiantly into the eyes of Valkyrie Antoinette.

"You think you are tough? You want to try your hand at fighting a combat veteran?" Valkyrie Antoinette continued to egg her on as she leaned closer. Her breathe, like that of most Elven women, smelled of flowers and forest and it tingled Skuld's nose.

Skuld remained silent.

"Answer me!" the Valkyrie screamed again.

"No ma'am!" Skuld replied.

"You don't look like you really mean that," she whispered dangerously into Skuld's ear. "Give me one shot at kicking the shit out of Belldandy's sister. Please," she urged.

Skuld felt her anger bubble over as she whispered softly into the Valkyries ear, "Your breath smells like you have been blowing treants..."

The Valkyrie scowled before pursing her lips and blowing softly on Skuld's cheek. "You just painted a target on your back," Antoinette replied before leaning back and turning to the group. "Every one, push up position. Skuld, you stand and count cadence," she spoke.

Skuld felt every eye in the bay turn on her as the women slowly lowered themselves to push up position.

"Start counting," the Valkyrie commanded.

Skuld bellowed out cadence until the trainees had completed fifty push ups. She could feel the anger ebbing through the group and the side ways glances being cast her way as the trainees finally returned to a standing position.

"Every time trainee Skuld here fucks up, you all are going to do her push ups for her," Antoinette spoke. "Every time I feel like trainee Skuld isn't pulling her weight, is falling behind, or is giving me a particularly ugly look... Well, she always looks ugly, you are all going to do push ups," she continued. "Give me five more because Skuld is ugly," she commanded.

Again the trainees dropped before completing their push ups and returning to their feet. "Go to sleep," the Valkyrie commanded before pulling an about face and making her way down the center of the bay. She scowled furiously as she stomped on the center line of the bay. She eventually made it to the door and paused for a moment.

"In the morning you all will wake, clean, polish the center line of the bay, and then we will have physical training and if you are lucky, you will get to shower," she finished speaking before pointing at a trainee near the door. "You have first fire watch, read your manual if you don't know what to do," she finally finished before exiting the room.

"Hey," one of the trainees spoke the moment the door closed. Skuld turned in the darkness to stare in the direction of the voice. "Thanks for that you stupid bitch," the woman growled in the darkness. Several other voices joined in to berate her with names and curses before the group finally quited down enough to climb into their respective beds.

Skuld fought the urge to sigh in the darkness as she listened to the grumbles of the other trainees within the bay. She felt no particular urge to sleep as many continued to curse her name under their breath. The itchy woolen blanket that scratched against her chin annoyed her, the sounds of the other trainees and their complaints annoyed her, and the feeling of helplessness annoyed her.

Skuld finally fell into a fitful sleep.

\scenebreak

Sousuke awoke feeling like death as was typical. He felt a dull ache down his neck and into his shoulder blades that left him clenching his teeth the moment he awoke. He reached out with his hand in the dark and felt around for Urd but was surprised to discover she was not in bed with him. He rolled over onto his stomach and pressed firmly with his right hand down into the floor before pulling himself up to his knees and finally to a standing position.

He swayed unsteadily as he consciously worked to relax his jaw and release the tension in his muscles. Sousuke could hear movement from down the hall and made the assumption that Urd, Belldandy, or Keiichi were up and about. He walked with a hunch in his back as he made the way to the bathroom and began the process of preparing for his interview. He spent his time carefully grooming as he hobbled around until his body loosened enough to operate at full capacity.

Eventually he made his way to the kitchen where he discovered Urd packing a bag for him. She had laid out a feast for breakfast that included fried eggs, bacon, miso soup, toast, and sausage. She had also created home made oatmeal bars filled with nuts, honey, and an assortment of jerky and a few other nonperishable foods. "You keep this bag on you at all times," she spoke as she gestured at the leather satchel.

"Am I going to war?" Sousuke questioned her with a grin as he moved into the kitchen and stole a kiss on her cheek. "I thought this was a job interview," he stated as he plucked a bacon strip up and began to chew it rapidly.

Urd looked at him with masked worry as she finished closing the sack. "I don't know if this interview is going to be anything like a real demon interview, but if it is, you are going to need to stay well fed and energized," she spoke hurriedly before placing both hands on the table in front of her self. Her shoulders surged up and down for a moment before she rolled her eyes and sighed violently. "I hate this. I want to summon you things and I cant," she growled as she stared at him.

"It's going to be fine," Sousuke spoke to her reassuringly. "I appreciate every thing you are doing for me here," he continued to speak as he sat at the table and began to eat every thing on his plate. He smiled at her between bites.

Urd shook her head back and forth as she squinted at him in annoyance. "You should be careful. Don't get hurt, and watch your seven," she spoke again.

"My six?" Sousuke inquired through a mouthful of egg.

"All the clock. Watch the whole clock! Every direction, all right?" Urd snapped back exasperatedly.

Sousuke couldn't help but smile as he watched her fuss. "It's a job interview Urd. I'm not going to the Balkans," he spoke before scratching at his face. He felt his entire body jerk as he flashed back to his time in the Volga-Urals. He spilled the food on his fork back onto his plate before returning to eat as though nothing had occurred.

Urd breathed deep before shaking her head in the negative. "I packed every thing I thought you might need in this bag. Don't you dare forget it," she ordered.

"Ma'am," Sousuke replied as he lifted his left hand to his forehead and snapped her a salute. It wasn't long before he was carrying the leather satchel out to the Charger with a very worried Urd in tow. She fussed with his hair as she followed him.

"I love you. You can leave if anything seems weird. You can get another job," she babbled as she watched him place the satchel in the front seat of the vehicle. He used the seatbelt to secure the leather bag into the passenger seat before turning to point at the bag.

"Cargo secured," he spoke to her before opening his arms and beckoning her to him. "Every thing will be fine," he tried to assure her.

"You come home safe," Urd demanded before leaning in to kiss him deeply. "I am so nervous," she grumbled.

"It'll be fine," Sousuke spoke once more before releasing her and motioning for her to return to the home. "I'll call you on my radio when I know what happened," he replied.

Urd reached into the pocket of her pajama pants she wore and withdrew her radio as well. "I will have this with me all day," she replied.

Sousuke entered the Charger and belted himself in before rolling down the window and waving at Urd as he backed the vehicle out of the yard and onto the street. He lost sight of her almost immediately as he brought the window back up and made his way to the appointed location for his interview. The farther he drove from Urd the more his stomach churned as his nerves began to fray.

His trip was uneventful but he was surprised when he noticed several men in suits mulling around the front of the building. He parked his vehicle and drew the satchel into his lap before exiting the vehicle and approaching the group. The stature of the men revealed their militaristic heritage.

"Yo," one of the men greeted him as he lifted a single hand to wave back. "Interview?" the man questioned him.

"Affirmative," Sousuke replied as he adjusted the leather bag on his shoulder. He wondered why it was so heavy.

"Nice purse," another man spoke before patting his own bag. The lanky man grinned dangerously at Sousuke.

"Same to you," Sousuke replied before finally allowing his curiosity to get the best of him. He approached a bench and sat the bag down before opening it and peering inside.

"Something wrong?" the man with the bag questioned him as he approached.

"Negative," Sousuke shook his head before reaching into the bag and withdrawing a massive butcher knife. He quickly placed it back into the bag before realizing that Urd had also placed a P$90$ magazine, two more knives, a sharpening stone, and an assortment of plastic tubs full of food into the bag.

The man next to him peered inside and then at Sousuke before raising his eye brows at him appraisingly. "Expecting trouble?" he questioned him.

"My girlfriend packed my lunch," Sousuke replied.

"I like your girlfriend," the man replied before holding both thumbs up with a grin.

"Me too," Sousuke replied before shaking his head and closing the leather bag.

The group eventually fell into boisterous conversation about daring do that each had experienced. Sousuke discussed his time fighting in Afghanistan while another rambled on about his time at the School of the Americas and his eventual assignment to South America. Each took turns revealing tidbits of their past while constantly one upping each other. One of the men even bragged about befriending a monkey in the jungles of South East Asia.

It didn't take long before the group of men were ushered into the building as the doors slid open. Sousuke felt the urge to walk backwards as he followed the men into the room. He remembered his time as a soldier and felt excited to have the opportunity to return to working in a field he had always known.

"Greetings," a familiar voice echoed over the parlor. "My name is Marller and this is Tessa," the demoness spoke.

"Holy shit, that is the broad that runs Mithril," a voice whispered amongst the ranks.

"My name is Lind," spoke the Goddess before shooting a withering glare towards Sousuke. Several of the applicants caught her look and immediately cast their eyes on Sousuke.

"We will be conducting interviews today for the position of Military Adviser. All tests today will be practical in nature and we plan to have an answer for all of you by the end of today," Tessa spoke aloud.

Sousuke scratched at his cheek before digesting their outfits. Tessa, Lind, and Marller each wore black uniform pants, combat boots, and battle dress uniform tops. The uniforms were devoid of any insignia.

"The first test will be a marksmanship test," Lind spoke before gesturing towards a door.

Sousuke followed the group in single file into the room. He discovered a nondescript shooting range with enough stalls for each of the interviewees to have their own station. He chose one and approached the metal table before gazing out into the hundred yard shooting lane before him.

"Please open the box located next to your right leg," Tessa command as she walked down the line. "Inside you will find a weapon, ammunition, magazines, and hearing protection."

Sousuke could hear several relieved sighs as each warrior began to withdraw their weapon of choice. He felt the odd desire to chuckle as he took a deep breath and wondered what weapon he would find inside his box. He reached down slowly, unlatched the box, and opened it.

Sousuke grinned as he hefted a pair of muffs up and placed them over his neck. He then withdrew three loaded magazines and a box of $5.7x28$mm ammunition. Finally he hefted a FN Herstal handgun up. The magazines had extenders on the bottom that increased their capacity to thirty rounds while providing only a half inch additional overhang from the magazine well of the weapon.

"You will be provided with targets and you are expected to engage them as appropriate," Marller jumped into the conversation as she pointed down range. "You will be judged on accuracy, speed, and confidence," she finished explaining as several shooters grew confused looks on their face.

"Please load your magazines, cylinders, or clips as appropriate," Tessa commanded. "Ready on the firing line," she stated. "Shooters, assume a comfortable firing position."

Sousuke grimaced as he noticed the man next to him hefting an Obrez with a maniacal grin. The sawed off Mosin Nagant rifle looked dangerous in profile.

"The firing line is ready," Lind shouted after observing all of the shooters taking their position of choice. She stared at Sousuke as he held a 'sul' position with the FN clutched in his hands.

"Commence firing when your targets appear," Tessa commanded as she slipped her head phones on over her ears.

Sousuke bent at the knees and steadied himself as he waited for his first target to appear. He nearly choked when a perfect visage of Urd holding a heavy staff covered in gems over her head appeared in his firing line. He gaped as the sounds of the firing line erupted. Numerous copies of Urd crumpled up and down the line under a hail of gunfire.

After several seconds a loud tone rang out from above Sousuke and the image of Urd vanished. Sousuke contemplated tossing his weapon onto the table and simply leaving the room but his morbid curiosity got the better of him.

A few moments later a Goddess with her hands up and a look of concentration on her face appeared at the fifty yard mark. Sousuke could make out the look on her face that revealed spell casting and he immediately thrust his pistol forward before firing three rounds in rapid succession. He performed a reverse failure drill in which he placed two rounds directly into her pelvis before allowing the recoil of the weapon to carry his final shot to the center mass of the target.

Sousuke scanned his sector with a rapid jerk of his head in either direction before realizing he was the only one who had fired a weapon. Several shooters on the range turned to look at him with quizzical looks. He then returned his weapon to position 'Sul'. Numerous buzzers erupted up and down the line.

The next target urged the firing line into an eruption of fire. Sousuke grit his teeth as the Obrez in the line next to him belched a four foot long blast of flame as the unburned powder from the $7.62x54$R round flicked at the target. The target this time was an oddly shaped Demon that Sousuke recognized from the battle of Hell. It looked like a mount that some of the creatures had rode. Sousuke held his fire. The warning tone blared from his table area again.

Sousuke again felt the urge to rage as Urd in her demon form appeared on the line. He simply stared as he grew annoyed at the sound of gunfire from the other lines. He raged at the thought of these men taking pot shots at a picture of his beloved. He snapped instantly into action the moment that a Goddess with her wings extended appeared behind Urd.

Sousuke once more thrust the weapon forward before squeezing into the trigger rapidly. He fired ten rounds into the face and head of the exposed Goddess target from over the shoulder of Urd. He heard the obnoxious buzz over his head again.

The final target was Hild. Sousuke cocked his head as her image appeared covered in the regalia of riches she normally wore. No one fired a round as the men stared at the beautiful woman before them. After several seconds she transformed as black leathery wings sprouted from her back and her normally passive expression was replaced with an angry scowl. Sousuke held his fire as the line once more spat rounds down range. The buzzing tone announced his failure to fire once more.

Tessa began to call out, "Cease fire! Cease fire!" She walked the firing line as she continued to bark commands. "Shooters, make safe! Unload your weapon, decock as appropriate, and replace your weapon in the box!"

Sousuke actuated the thumb release on the magazine and allowed the hard plastic implement to drop into his free hand. He placed it in the box before turning the weapon sideways and racking the slide swiftly. The unspent round popped upwards and he quickly snatched the round out of the air before dropping it in the box. He racked the slide several more times before pointing the weapon down range and pulling the trigger. The weapon clicked as the firing pin tension released. He then activated the safety and replaced the weapon in the box. Within moments he had completely cleared his table of any evidence of shooting.

"How lucky," the man next to Sousuke spoke in his direction with a grin. "I was worried I would get a bum weapon, but when I got the Mosin Nagant, I was so happy."

Sousuke flashed him a nod in agreement. He was sure that every shooter had been provided with their favorite handgun through magical means and not luck.

"Any problems shooter?" Tessa inquired as she stopped behind Sousuke. She motioned up at the red lights flashing above his stall with her finger.

Sousuke looked up and realized only his box was announcing some sort of message to the ones providing him with his test. "I only fired on the individuals I felt were a threat," Sousuke replied.

"Monsters and demons aren't a threat?" Tessa inquired as the sound of snickering and laughter down the line filled the air with a heavy uncomfortable weight.

"Not to me," Sousuke replied calmly.

Tessa lifted her eye brows and nodded once before turning on her heels. She made her way to the door before turning back on the crowd. "Leave the ear muffs here and follow me to the next test," she spoke loud and clear.

Sousuke reached into his pocket and lifted a home made oatmeal bar wrapped in saran out. He noticed one of the other soldiers eye balling the meal in his hand. He bent the bar until it snapped before unwrapping the end and proffering it to the gentleman. He remained passive as the man reached out, plucked the piece, and then broke that in half before passing it to another.

Sousuke felt the urge to laugh as he popped his piece into his mouth. Several of the other soldiers stared in his direction with looks of mixed horror and jealousy as he began to chew the sweet and salty concoction.

"Did you bring enough for every one?" Marller asked him with a sardonic tinge to her questioning.

"I did," Sousuke replied before reaching into his bag and hefting a brick of the oatmeal, nut, and honey mixture. "I would estimate I have about two pounds of this stuff," he continued before extending the brick out towards Marller.

Marller shook her head before holding up a hand to ward off the calorie dense meal Sousuke held out before himself. She wordlessly moved to the front of the line of men before opening a door and ushering the group inside.

"I lied," Tessa spoke aloud. She grinned as she pointed at numerous chairs and tables. "You will be taking a written test," she continued to speak as the men shuffled towards their choice of seat. Each table had a single stack of documents.

"Ma'am, will writing implements be provided?" one of the men questioned.

"No," Lind replied for her from the back of the room. "Any one who does not finish the test will be disqualified from the process."

Sousuke looked around the room at several nervous looking faces before lifting his satchel up into his lap. He rummaged around inside before withdrawing an assortment of writing utensils. He also grabbed a brick of energy food. He stood and made his way to the front of the room before placing the handful of pens and pencils on the table. He thought for a moment before unwrapping the brick and placing it next to the pile.

"No man left behind," Sousuke spoke as he made his way back to his seat. He watched as numerous soldiers made their way to the implements, grabbed a pen or pencil, and then cut themselves off a piece of the food. Sousuke stole a glance at Tessa, Lind, and Marller. He felt the urge to laugh as Lind seethed as Marller and Tessa both winked at him approvingly.

Sousuke reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a pen that he had reserved for himself. He looked down at his test and began to read the questions. He wondered how absurd some of the other soldiers thought the questions were. His favorites included "How would you augment a highly manueverable phalanx of close quarter combat soldiers with Arm Slave technology?" or "How would you deploy an air born weapons platform capable of delivering high temperature munitions against infantry in a danger close situation?"

Sousuke almost allowed his frustration at the questions to over take him before he realized the point of the exercise. He knew they were attempting to frustrate him on purpose in order to explore his limits. They didn't care about the answers in terms of effectiveness but in his willingness to play the game. It had been a while since he had participated in an exercise like this.

He finished his test after several hours of grueling hand writing. Without further instruction he rose his hand and gestured for Marller to approach him. Lind interrupted her with a tap on the shoulder and interjected herself in place of the Demoness.

"Yes?" Lind growled low.

"I have accomplished the assigned test. Your orders? Ma'am," Sousuke offered in reply.

Lind reached out and took the paper before announcing to the class. "Leave your document on the front table when you have finished the assignment." She walked back to her place where she had stood next to Tessa and Marller while keeping her nose keenly buried in the document Sousuke finished.

The wait for the rest of the soldiers to accomplish their test was short as the pile on the front table grew exponentially with each completion of the assignment.

"Your final assignment will be another practical exam. We will be using sensory augmentation hardware to place each of you in a custom designed mental evaluation. The technology is safe and will provide no lingering discomfort after successful completion of the exercise. We will be taking you one at a time to use the 'machine', so please be patient during this time," Tessa explained as she gestured to one of the soldiers and began the process of removing them from the room one at a time.

Sousuke leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes as he crossed his arms. He began to slumber lightly as he awaited his turn. He could sense through his softly lidded eyes that several other soldiers had joined him in catching some sleep before their exercise. The wait was much quicker as he was finally summoned by Marller.

Marller was wordless until they entered a room with a chair and a bad mockery of an Arm Slave wet ware hook up near by. "No need to bull shit you," Marller spoke as she waved her hand. "We will be using a spell to place you in a special situation. It's up to you to do what you think is right," she continued.

Sousuke nodded before moving to the chair. He sat and nodded one last time.

"Good luck," Marller replied before snapping her fingers. She watched as Sousuke fell limp in the chair, his head lolling to the side as the spell took hold.

"This is it," Marller spoke aloud as Hild stepped out of a corner in the room. She took several slow and methodical steps around the soldier as she appraised him before turning to face the wall.

"Let's see," Hild stated as she gestured at the wall. A projection of Sousuke's inner mind appeared on the wall. Marller and Hild began to watch in rapt attention.

Sousuke felt his senses dull in a haze as he attempted to shake off the sluggish and cold feeling that crushed in on him. He felt his heart begin to race as his left arm ached and he an unreasonable fear of suddenly dieing took hold of him. He took several deep breathes until the scene around him began to coalesce and become visible.

He wondered where he was as he looked about the room. The last thing he remembered was going to sleep the night before with Urd beside him. He knew something important was afoot but he couldn't place his finger on it. "Why am I standing here?" he wondered aloud as he began to eye ball his surroundings.

Sousuke caught movement from the corner of his eye and spun to lock eyes on a small woman. He scowled as he felt his muscles tense and his back to curve involuntarily. He was ready for a fight.

"Sir, the Princess is waiting for you," the woman spoke fearfully. Her eyes were gold flecked slits similar to Marller but her angled features and long nose were distinctly her own. She trembled slightly before looking down to the ground and bowing deep. "Is there something the Master needs?" she asked fearfully.

Sousuke continued to stare at her. He felt a fleeting thought that danced just out of reach and he wondered again why he was where he was. "Tell me, what day is today?" he asked the demon.

"Today is the Birkat of your child, who will one day rule over all of Hell, Heaven, and Earth," the demon woman offered immediately. She bowed her head and clasped her hands together before allowing an incantation to escape her lips. She rapidly prayed for the health and safety of the child.

Sousuke blinked before looking down at his clothing. He was covered in a heavy gown of black, gold, and purple thread and fabric. Symbols covered the arms of the vestments and intricate embroidery accented the rest. He held his arms up and reviewed the outfit for a moment before inquiring with the demon. "Can you summon?" he asked her.

"Anything the Master requires," she replied hastily. She appeared to be growing more nervous by the moment. "Perhaps we should join the Princess and our Queen Mother?" she spoke slowly.

"Summon me a P$90$ with a chest sling," Sousuke demanded before holding out his hand.

The demon snapped her fingers and Sousuke found the heft of the weapon in his hand. He lifted his robes and snapped the black straps around his neck and chest before allowing the weapon to hang down the center line of his body. He mussed the robes about until the weapon outline was invisible under the thick folds of clothe. "You tell no one," he ordered.

"Sir," the demon bowed before gesturing to the door. "The Princess does not like to wait," she spoke softly.

Sousuke smirked before making the way to the door. He swung it open and bright light scrambled his senses like a concussion grenade as he stumbled softly. The moment he regained his faculties he found himself standing next to Urd. She held a bundle of beautifully decorated blankets close to her chest with an ecstatic grin on her face.

Sousuke felt momentarily nauseous as he tried to understand how he had arrived next to Urd. He wondered if he was ill or loosing his mind. "Urd," he whispered softly. He caught her eyes with his as she snapped to face him with a look of concern on her face.

"Are you all right?" she whispered back. Her brow furrowed as she looked him up and down. "You are sweating really bad, nervous?" she asked with a giggle. "It'll be all over soon," she assured him.

Sousuke looked about the room. Hild stood at the end of a fifty yard long strip of purple that was one of the most exquisite rugs Sousuke had ever stepped foot on. He could see rows and rows of watchers craning for their opportunity to see the pair when they exited the hallway they currently stood in.

"So many people, is this all right?" Sousuke asked as he began to notice the Trolls, Demons, and Goblins who mulled about in the crowd. He reached up with his right hand to gently stroke the frame of his carbine under the robes subconsciously. "Is this safe?" he inquired of her.

Urd shook her head before lifting and gently rocking the bundle of blankets in her arms. "It will be fine," she replied before taking a deep breath. She raised her eyes brows at him before nudging her chin out towards the exit. "It's show time," she spoke before calming her features and starting a slow and methodical walk towards Hild.

Sousuke felt his flight or fight response pegging as his hands grew cold. He felt a shiver up his spine as every thing he looked at felt magnified and more intense. He drew both his arms into the robes as he walked slowly next to Urd. He allowed his attention to sway back and forth down the line of people beside him. "This is a kill funnel," he thought to himself as his hands began to shake. The adrenaline in his body made him want to urinate.

They had only walked for a few seconds before a commotion in the crowd erupted to the right. He watched as though it happened in slow motion as a single cylindrical object sailed through the air towards them. Sousuke screamed as he pivoted before tossing the robes up and over his shoulder. He hefted the rifle up and tried to scan the crowd.

The sounds of an explosion and a flash rocked Sousuke as the screams of those watching the procession began to fill the air. "Urd!" Sousuke cried out before turning his head to look for her. He felt as though he had been struck with a hammer as another explosion rang out and he collided with the ground. He could see injured and dead all around him as he blinked several times in the haze.

"Sousuke!" the sound of his name being yelled pulled him to his senses. He tried to push his hands out but he only lifted half of his body. He was disorientated but eventually he pulled himself to his feet unsteadily. "Urd?!" Sousuke cried out in reply as he looked down at his shredded left arm and the blood pool he was leaking on the floor.

"Sousuke!" Urd replied like a macabre game of Marco Polo in the carnage. Her voice was high and ragged.

Sousuke stepped over the bodies of several demons before spotting a Valkyrie clad in armor snaking through the smoke and commotion. He pressed himself to hurry forward as he realized the Goddess was headed in the direction of Urd's screams.

Urd had drawn herself to her knees. She clutched the bundle in her arms as a steady stream of blood dripped down her face. She held one eye shut as she looked about frantically. She could sense movement through her scratched lenses as she held her chin up and tried to peer through the darkness that her wounded eyes cast on every thing around her. "Sousuke! I can't see!" she cried out.

"Urd, I'm here!" Sousuke cried out as he stumbled towards her. "I'm coming!" he yelled as he caught sight of her. She was surrounded by the crumpled bodies of those who had been closest to the blast. Their destroyed bodies having taken the brunt of the explosion, it left Urd injured but alive.

"Help us!" Urd cried out again as she tried to touch the baby in her arms with her finger tips. She choked as she tried to lift the silent child to her head in order to listen for any sign of life. "Sousuke!" she continued to scream.

Sousuke fell silent as he stared across the carnage at his Goddess. Urd was still on her knees as an armored Valkyrie stood behind her clutching a spear in her hands. She gazed towards Sousuke before lifting the weapon and thrusting the bladed tip through the back of Urd's head. The cinnamon skinned Goddess jerked as her eyes snapped wide open. The glowing point of the weapon erupted from between her teeth.

Sousuke felt numb. He didn't move as he watched Urd's arms go limp and the bundle of blankets tumble down her chest before sliding off of her knees onto the floor. The Valkyrie yanked the weapon back before hefting the spear up again. She aimed it towards the baby but froze as Sousuke hefted the P$90$ in one hand and aimed it at her.

"Sousuke," the voice of Belldandy cut the air. He never moved as the Valkyrie and he continued to stare at each other. "Put down the weapon Sousuke," Belldandy continued to speak as she entered his peripheral vision holding Hild by the hair with a sword to her neck.

Sousuke allowed his eyes to flicker towards Belldandy and Hild before looking back at the Valkyrie who had killed Urd. He felt his vision fading in and out as he continued to loose blood from his wounded arm. His entire body felt cold and detached as though he were watching a movie of the scene before him instead of living it.

"Make a choice Sousuke!" Hild cried out before falling silent as Belldandy shook her head by her hair.

Sousuke didn't hesitate. He fired three rounds from his carbine and they collided with the forehead of the Valkyrie who threatened the child. He tried to ride the recoil sideways as he began to sight the weapon on Belldandy. He was not fast enough as Belldandy cleanly severed Hild's head from her shoulders. Sousuke made eye contact with Belldandy and a few moments passed in silence before she nodded at him.

Sousuke squeezed the trigger and began to stagger towards her. The weapon ripped through the magazine as round after round collided with Belldandy. She stumbled backwards as a six inch diameter shot grouping consisting of more than twenty rounds ripped through her chest armor and left her slumping to the ground in a heap.

Sousuke approached her slowly, sighted the weapon on the back of her head, and unloaded the rest of the magazine into her skull. The floor sparked and cracked as he transformed the once beautiful Goddess into a stain on the floor of the castle they stood in. He dropped to his knees and placed the barrel on the weapon on the floor as he placed his weight on the stock of the carbine. He actuated the magazine release and tossed the empty one before withdrawing a full one from his chest holster with one hand. After replacing the magazine he used his one good arm to yank the charging handle back, racking a round into the chamber, before standing and leaving the weapon to dangle on his chest.

Sousuke rushed towards Urd and knelt beside the baby. He drew the blankets back to discover that the child was mostly unharmed from her looks. He stared down at the tiny child and felt his eyes fill with tears. He covered the child in the blankets before hefting her up and tucking the child in close to his body like a football with his good arm.

"We gotta go sweet heart," he spoke as he looked down at the back of Urd's head. He felt hate and anger welling up in his body before he turned and began to hurry back towards the entrance. The smoke in the room had begun to clear and he watched as a bevy of demons began to flood into the room. His eyes grew blurry and he began to stumbled.

"Sousuke!" Marller called out to him as she fought to push him back into the chair. He was flailing his arms and screaming at the top of his lungs as he returned to the physical realm. "Calm down! It's over!" she cried out as she leaned her weight into keeping him seated.

"DIE!" Sousuke cried out as he slammed his fist into Marller. His wrist crumpled against her ribs as he began to regain consciousness. "What happened?" he demanded to know. He held his hand up and looked down at his broken wrist before turning to face Hild.

"Sousuke," Hild spoke softly to him. She held an impassive gaze as she cocked her head. "What happened indeed?"

"I failed," Sousuke replied as he finally regained his faculties. He placed his left hand on Marller's shoulder and patted her. She released him almost instantly and Sousuke stood. "I failed," he replied sadly as he cradled his arm up and held it against his body. He could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his body as tears slowly leaked from his eyes.

Hild simply stared at him.

"I'll pack my things and go," Sousuke stated softly as he began to walk towards the door.

"Why do you think you failed?" Hild interrupted him.

"I let you die, I let Urd die," Sousuke replied. He was shaking.

"You saved the child," Hild replied with a passive gaze.

"What is her name?" Sousuke asked softly.

"You tell me," Hild replied with a smirk. She moved slowly into the light proper. Her eyes shone with tears as she held out her arms and embraced Sousuke. "You chose the right person to save," she whispered.

Sousuke broke into sobs as he clutched at Hild. "I can't watch her die. Never again," Sousuke gasped through gulps of air and thick tears that choked him. "Please, never again," he pleaded with Hild.

"Never again," Hild reassured him as she rested her chin on his shoulder. She held him tightly as he broke down. "It can be an intense test," she continued to whisper.

Marller approached a small desk in the corner of the room and lifted a clipboard. She withdrew a pen from her breast pocket before checking off the box that indicated "Pass" under final practical exam. "Welcome to Hell," she spoke to herself before looking towards the pair embraced under the harsh lights of the room.


	11. Ah! A Goddess Looses It All?!

Skuld woke suddenly. Every muscle in her body screamed out for her to move and she instantly rocketed upwards out of the bed, twisted her body in mid air, and landed with a ground shaking thud in a crouch behind two young women who were floating near her bed with buckets of water. "Good morning," she hissed between her teeth at the pair.

"Good morning bitch," the taller one spoke. She was a Goddess with shoulder length brown hair and a long angular nose. She flashed her perfectly straight teeth at Skuld. "We were just going to help you wake up," she snickered before emptying the contents of the bucket on the bed that previously held Skuld. "Oops," she whispered dramatically before placing a hand over her lips and raising her eyebrows.

Skuld narrowed her eyes at the second woman, a fairy, who immediately shrunk under the withering gaze. The fairy seemed to have no interest in building any additional animosity as she slunk away in the direction of the bathroom with her bucket in hand.

"Good morning ladies!" the booming voice of Valkyrie Antoinette filled the bay as the rest of the trainees began to mull about. "What is this shit?" she immediately shrieked as she rapidly advanced on the two squared off Goddesses.

"Ma'am!" The Goddess who had soaked Skuld's bed snapped to attention before flashing a worried look across her face. "I was attempting to help trainee Skuld since she had a little accident in her bed," she offered sweetly.

Skuld noticed immediately that the Goddess had no facial markings to denote her rank in the Goddess hierarchy and that meant she could still lie. She was livid.

"Accident?" Valkyrie Antoinette screamed. The activity in the bay seemed to screech to a halt as every eye turned on Skuld. "Well, it's a good thing that trainee Skuld has someone so willing to assist her," she continued.

Skuld glared in silence. She contemplated protesting but refrained under the assumption that Valkyrie Antoinette was not stupid enough to believe the ridiculous story proffered by her new found enemies.

"Answer me stupid," Valkyrie Antoinette leaned forward into Skuld's personal space and rained spittle on her face.

Skuld felt tears welling in her eyes. She wanted to punch and kick every person in the room. She felt helpless, depressed, and absolutely alone in the sea of trainees who seemed to have targeted her as an enemy. "There was no accident," Skuld finally replied.

"Then it must have been on purpose," Antoinette replied with a scathing smirk. She drew her eyes into slits as she turned on her heels to face the onlooking trainees. "Looks like Trainee Skuld has decided to act out and that means all of you will be doing push ups!" she shouted unnecessarily.

Skuld briefly glanced at the other trainees who were glaring at her dangerously in turn. She clenched her fists.

"Call it out trainee, or are you too stupid to count?" Antoinette shouted over her shoulder as she surveyed the rest of the trainees.

"You know I didn't piss my bed," Skuld growled between her teeth. She flexed her fists rapidly as she stared at the Valkyrie.

"Excuse me?" Antoinette questioned as she turned slowly to face Skuld. "Are you addressing me trainee?" she spoke softly. The Valkyrie scowled at her with barely suppressed malice.

"Yes," Skuld paused before sucking air between her teeth and exhaling her words with a hiss. "Ma'am," she finished as she felt a sensation like ice cubes slipping down the inside of her chest. The tiny Goddess felt the urge to vomit as she forced herself to address the Valkyrie with respect.

Valkyrie Antoinette approached Skuld until she was well within her personal space. The elven woman grinned as she cocked her head and stared into Skuld's eyes. "Are you having a malfunction?" she asked as her face grew closer to Skuld's, the pair seemed to be playing a game of chicken to determine who would relent first.

"I didn't have an accident," Skuld repeated.

"Are you saying someone else did?" Antoinette asked. "Are you a snitch now too?" she questioned.

"I'm not a snitch," Skuld felt her face aching as her heart raced in her chest.

"Might as well be!" Antoinette hollered out as she gestured towards the rest of the trainees. "You are a liar, a cheat, and you don't seem to have any guts either." the Valkyrie continued to holler as she began to poke Skuld in the chest directly between her breasts with her index finger.

Skuld took measured breathes as she stared back defiantly.

"Don't get me started on your sisters," Antoinette leaned back as she threw her hands up dramatically before whirling around and walking towards the center of the room. She laughed as she began to shake her head. "Does every one here know who Skuld's sisters are?"

Some of the trainees in the room began to give her sad and worried looks. She ignored them pointedly as she felt her face growing in heat. She wondered if it was possible for a Goddess to spontaneously combust. "Leave my sisters out of this," Skuld spoke shakily.

"As I remember it, you have a sister named Urd who is the epitome of garbage," Antoinette continued to speak as she placed her hands behind her back and began to pace up and down the center line of the bay. She grinned and chuckled as she berated Skuld's family. "Urd let some mentally unstable moron cram her with some demon spawn. I was on the team that was going to eliminate her, but somehow she got a pass. Rumor has it that your other sister decided to do the same thing. Whores," she sighed.

Several of the women up and down the line laughed aloud at the antics of their lead instructor. The Valkyrie made her way to the end of the bay before turning and removing her armored crown. She pulled her tunic off to reveal her chest and midriff wrapped in a silken band that compressed her breasts. "Go ahead Skuld," she challenged. The room fell instantly silent.

Skuld felt tears running down her cheeks that she furiously wiped away with her wrist. She fought the urge to break ranks and approach the center line. She thought about Sousuke, Urd, Belldandy, and Shinji. She wished she was in a hotel room somewhere wrapped up with Shinji in a blanket. She wanted to be any where but where she was.

"One day I will have the right to execute your slut sisters," Antoinette spoke aloud as she flexed her arms and rotated her shoulders. "I can't wait to hear that mistake roosting inside of Urd beg for its life before I snuff it out on a rock," she continued to speak.

Skuld didn't hear herself scream. She knew her mouth was open and the women near her had retreated in haste as her body emitted a scalding heat that whipped at the faces of the other trainees. "I will fucking end you!" Skuld shouted.

The ground cracked under the heels of her bare feet as she stomped into the center line of the bay. Skuld moved deliberately as she rotated to face the Valkyrie who had insulted her repeatedly. "You will never touch my family," she breathed as a crackle of purple energy began to dance up and down her skin. The ethereal power that surrounded her body began to ebb and flow up and down her entire being.

Antoinette scowled as she hunched down at the waist. The Valkyrie bent her knees and tucked her chin into her chest as she drew both hands up into a defensive posture. "Funny, a Goddess doesn't normally look like that," she spoke aloud as she stepped into a guard position with her left foot out. "I wonder why," she continued to speak as she slunk her right foot out to change her weight distribution.

Skuld wiped at the tears that had filled her eyes. She struggled to see through her leaking lids as she reached her emotional limit. "I don't care what you say about me, but you won't insult my family," she demanded.

"Then come and get it," Antoinette smirked as she beckoned Skuld towards her. The Valkyrie held out her left fist before rotating it to face up and wiggling her fingers rhythmically towards her own body.

\scenebreak

"Hi," the diminutive and child like figure of Chibi-Hild spoke with a wide smile and a sweeping wave of her hand. The little demonic clone of Hild rocked back and forth on her heels as she intertwined her fingers behind her back. "Can Belldandy come out to play?" she questioned.

Banpei remained passively silent. The robot held a horse stance with his legs powerfully rooted in the dirt and both arms up and out in a stop position. The robot didn't budge or reply as he kept the tiny demon at bay.

"Can you PLEASE get Belldandy," Chibi-Hild pleaded with a long and exaggerated stress on the please. The child like visage of Hild shot the robot an exasperated huff before shooing him with both hands. "Go you stupid robot," she commanded.

Banpei didn't flinch or move. He continued to hold his silent vigil at the edge of the wards that protected the home of the Goddesses. He wasn't programmed to take orders from Demons. His only purpose was to protect and guard the occupants of the home.

"Fine, you wanna do this the hard way? We can do it the hard way," she finally growled. Chibi-Hild took several deep breaths as she wiggled her hands out in front of herself rapidly. She loosened up her arms as she shrugged her shoulders several times until she stilled and glowered in the direction of the robot. She continued to take deep breathes before jabbing both hands through the wards and yanking the robot cleanly through the protective spell.

Banpei couldn't react in time as Chibi-Hild cleanly cleaved his limbs from his body. Her dainty hands glowed like a plasma cutter as she rapidly chopped the robot up by it's appendages. She then beheaded him and slipped her fingers into the neck cavity in order to get a better grip on the massive beach ball like head. "Sorry! But not sorry!" she giggled maniacally as she kicked the rest of the bits of the robot past the threshold of the gate.

"Ugh, this is going to bite," she sighed before closing her eyes and throwing her whole body shoulder first towards the wards of the home. She collided with an opaque blue shimmering wall of energy that cracked and sizzled on her skin. Chibi-Hild grit her teeth and grunted until finally crashing through the wall unceremoniously with a stumble.

"Ow!" she groaned angrily as a thick black smoke exuded from her flesh. Her hair looked burnt and she had to shake her head and body until the damage from the wounds rapidly healed. "Dumb," she spoke before making her way towards the entrance to the temple that the Goddesses called home. She hopped up the steps without stopping and halted at the door before knocking with enough force that it shook the walls of the home. "Hey!" she cried out.

The door opened immediately. Urd stood in the door way holding a frying pan with both hands as she shot her gaze back and forth above the tiny Demon. "Show yourself!" she hollered and scowled in tandem.

"Ugh!" Chibi-Hild groaned as she lifted the head of Banpei up over her own head. She wiggled the grinning automaton's head for several seconds before nearly shouting. "Can Belldandy PLEASE come talk to me!"

"What did you do? Where is Sousuke? Is he safe!?" Urd began to shout as she lifted the frying pan above her head in a ready to strike pose.

"Sousuke this! Sousuke that! Sousuke is so important to every one! No one cares about Sousuke, this is about Skuld!" she angrily stomped her foot as she dismissed the physical threats made by Urd. "I also broke your toy, sorry," she spoke much calmer as she sat the head down on the ground and patted it once.

"Belldandy is in class," Urd spoke cautiously as she stared at the child like demon before her.

Chibi-Hild rolled her eyes several times before holding up her right hand. She flashed three fingers and began to count down by slowly drawing the fingers downwards into a fist before turning to point at the yard. As if on cue, the metallic samurai-like visage of Belldandy erupted into existence with enough force that it cratered the ground around her feet. A powerful gust of wind forced Urd and Chibi-Hild to cover their faces.

"I broke your ward too," Chibi-Hild grinned before hopping off of the porch of the home and skipping towards Belldandy. "Bell! Do you like Skuld?" she hollered as she skipped right up towards the armored Valkyrie.

Belldandy hefted her halberd up, span it several times, and then drove the handle into the ground by her feet. She reached up and removed her helmet before leaning her head back and shaking out her hair. "Hild, what do you want?" she demanded in her serene voice. Belldandy did not appear to be amused by the antics of the Queen of Hell or her Demonic clone.

"Skuld is going to die in a training 'accident'," she stressed the word accident by flexing her fingers in air quotes. "Unless you show up in a few seconds," she continued. Chibi-Hild placed both of her index fingers on her own cheeks and began to drill two small dimples into the skin playfully as she grinned maniacally.

Belldandy stared at her with a hard look, sizing up her intentions. "How would you even know this?" she questioned the tiny demon.

"You won't be able to save her alone, but if you ask nicely, I can help," Chibi-Hild replied evasively. She extended her hand towards Belldandy. "We both know I can't enter that deep into your realm without assistance, let alone access the Valkyrie training grounds. You would have to provide me access," she finished.

Belldandy glared at Hild's alter ego. "You ask too much of me," she replied as she ran her fingers through her hair. "You expect me to give access to the halls of the Valkyries to the Queen of Hell herself?"

Chibi-Hild flashed a toothy grin at Belldandy before shaking her extended hand at her. "The clock is ticking. Her life is in your hands," she replied.

\scenebreak

Skuld ducked a kick aimed at her head as she extended her hands and attempted to exert some form of control over Antoinette. Every time she grabbed her flesh or found a hold in fabric, Antoinette would land a punishing blow against her wrist, forearm, or elbow that would allow her to dislocate her grip before twirling out of range again.

"Come here!" Skuld cried out as she took three quick steps deep into Antoinette's guard. The tiny Goddess threw a back fist that struck the Valkyries cheek with enough force that she stumbled out of the centerline of the bay and towards a locker. Skuld locked on to the obviously distressed elven maidens back.

Antoinette stumbled and flailed as she reached out to steady herself against the heavy metallic locker. She rubbed at her cheek where the blow had landed before looking down and back at the rapidly approaching Goddess behind her. She braced herself against the door of the locker and counted to three before pushing away from the locker, pivoting on her heel, and launching a sidekick aimed squarely at the tiny Goddesses center mass.

Skuld felt her breath hitch as the blow compressed her chest bone. She felt her body sail through the air before landing in a pile at the feet of several trainees in the process of scattering. She tried to speak but the only sound that escaped her lips was a subdued choke.

Antoinette grasped her opportunity immediately. She charged into a run before punting Skuld in the gut with as much force as she could muster. The Goddess sailed up into the air before slamming into the wall and leaving a dent. It took several seconds before her crumpled form rolled out of the crater and plummeted the several feet to the floor. She lay still.

"Did you not choose to be Valkyries?" Antoinette yelled as she addressed the trainees. "Did you not swear to protect your kingdom from the transgressions of the fallen?" she continued as she gesticulated her hands above her head before bringing them downwards to point in the direction of Skuld.

The sound of murmurs amongst the crowd filled the air. Some protested while others praised Antoinette. The mixed emotions ebbed and flowed in the crowd as many wondered what Skuld could have done that would elicit such a demonstration from their team leader.

"I will show you the enemy!" Antoinette yelled before approaching the limp form of Skuld. She knelt and gripped her top, digging her long fingers into the fabric. She pulled violently and stripped the cloth from her body before grabbing her arms and pulling them up and over her head. She spotted the tattoos nestled in the pit of her arm.

Skuld felt her faculties returning as the cold floor of the bay bit at her back. She began to struggle against the Valkyrie. "Stop it," Skuld choked out as she kicked her legs and waved her free arm. "Just leave me alone," she continued to plead. She felt as though the room were spinning.

Antoinette stood and hefted in one clean motion. She yanked Skuld up by her arm and dangled her body in the air as her feet dragged on the floor. "Look at this!" she yelled as she displayed the tattoos and Skuld's nude upper body. "This is your enemy. The deceivers who will attempt to walk amongst you," she continued.

The sound of gasps in the crowd weighed heavy in the air. The murmurs grew in intensity and some of the trainees began to yell. "Kill her! Destroy her!" their voices raised as the call for her blood shook the ground and rallied many of the trainees in the group who had held their opinion back.

Antoinette released her vice like grip on Skuld's wrist and watched as she crumpled onto the floor again. The Valkyrie took several deep breathes before holding her right hand out with her palm facing upwards. A coalescing kaleidoscope of color started as a puddle before forming a dagger in her palm. The blade was a dark titanium that held no glint. A killers weapon.

Skuld stared up at her defiantly from the ground. She scowled as the Valkyrie knelt down on her chest painfully. She hefted her arms up and tried to press her off ineffectually as she wondered what it would mean to die. "Kiss my ass," Skuld breathed laboriously as the weight of the elf on her bare chest ached. "Every one of you," she cursed the group as they began to huddle around her.

Antoinette chuckled as she brought the blade up to place it well within sight of Skuld. "Look," she whispered as her hair cascaded down around her face. She smiled as she stared down at the injured and weakened Goddess. "This is the blade that I am going to use to kill you, your sisters, their spawn, and their humans," her voice was hard as she smiled down at Skuld maliciously.

Skuld rested her right hand down on the thigh of the Valkyrie and closed her eyes. She summoned every drop of energy she had as she thought about those people most important to her. She focused her intent on the palm of her hand and allowed her mind to drift towards the thoughts of Urd, Sousuke, and their defenseless child. She could hear the faint screams of the Valkyrie growing louder in her ears as she latched on to the appendage.

Skuld waited. She waited for the prick of the knife, the burning sensation, or the violent snuffing of consciousness that still hadn't come. She could feel intense pressure on her arm, a yanking sensation, and then hands. Someone was grabbing her, holding her, and she could feel them rocking her in their arms. She was too frightened to open her eyes and so she froze. She hoped that if she continued to play dead, they would simply leave her alone. She would wake up in her bed, warm, and this would all be a bad dream.

"Skuld," a distant voice, distinct, but unrecognized found a way into her head. "Skuld," the voice called out to her again. "Wake up, it's all going to be all right," the voice was reassuring, confident, and soft. She knew she should know the owner of this voice, but she couldn't identify her.

Skuld wanted to reply. She fought to work her lips as she continued to crush her eyelids closed. She wanted to thank this person, praise them, and beg them to protect her. Instead, all she could muster was a choked sob and a frightened "Please," that opened a flood gate of tears. She felt betrayed, violated, and terrified that the Valkyries, Goddesses in their own right, would threaten her family.

"Open your eyes Skuld," the voice continued to speak to her. She knew she was being spoken to, but she felt the strongest desire to shy away. She took several deep and ragged breaths before forcing one eye open. She looked up into the face of her savior and noticed the golden hue and cat like shape of her eyes first. The second thing to strike her was her deeply toned skin, and finally the tattoos that denoted her a demon. "Hild?" Skuld questioned her.

Chibi-Hild grinned down at her. Her pure white teeth glistened in the light of the bay. "You scared me," Chibi-Hild admonished playfully as she continued to sit on the floor with Skuld nestled into her arms. "I didn't think Belldandy would let me come save you," she continued.

"Why are you here?" Skuld questioned her suspiciously. She tried to lean forward but the room began to spin and she fell back into the embrace of the demon Queen. "Ugh," she groaned aloud as she clamped her eyes shut again.

"I came to stop you from eviscerating every one in the room," Chibi-Hild replied before giggling softly. "Well, try at least," she continued to speak as her lips pulled up her grin even higher.

"Is this another test?" Skuld wondered aloud. She grew suspicious about Chibi-Hild having a presence at the heart of the Valkyries training academy. "How did you get here?"

"Belldandy," Chibi-Hild replied matter of factually. "I'm here because I received curious news," she began to stroke Skuld's hair gently as she continued to rock her slowly. "If you are wondering if this is a Valkyrie test, well, it isn't. However, every decision we make is a test, so maybe you should think of it that way," she sighed wistfully.

Skuld gathered her senses and rolled over slowly. She balanced herself on her hands and knees with her chin pressed against her chest. She breathed slow and deliberately as she struggled to toss off the sluggishness that had infected her. "Why am I so tired?" she asked.

"Well, the first words I heard from the trainees was 'Help! Help! Oh my God!' so I really feel that you are doing a lot better than I expected," Chibi-Hild guffawed as she moved to sit beside Skuld. "You did a number on the Valkyrie assigned to kill you," she continued to laugh.

Skuld raised her head to look at Chibi-Hild and grimaced. "Why would someone assign a Valkyrie to kill me?" she inquired. "That doesn't make sense. I am a Goddess," she spluttered through the thick mucous that choked her breath. "Valkyries don't kill Goddesses," she groaned out from between her teeth.

"Oh, is that fact?" the tiny clone of Hild asked incredulously. "I distinctly remember Goddesses battling it out to the death over who is in charge not very long ago," Chibi-Hild mused as she leaned back onto her hands and arched her back. She hummed softly as she waited for Skuld to make it to her feet.

Skuld had no reply. She finally gained the courage to pull herself up into a standing position. She steadied herself as she swayed on her heels for several seconds before taking the time to look about the training bay. The room was a mess filled with over turned beds, blood on the floor and walls, and scorch marks dotted about. "What happened?" she asked slowly.

"You," Chibi-Hild replied before rolling back onto her shoulders and kicking out with her legs. She flipped up and off the ground with a graceful kip-up that ended with her pivoting to press her shoulder against Skuld. She smiled up at her encouragingly when Skuld placed her arm around her neck and used her for support. "I heard you are a real warrior when you want to be," she continued.

Skuld took one more lingering look around the room before looking down at Hild. "Now what?" she asked softly. Her eyes welled with tears and her lips quivered for a moment before she reached up to wipe at her eyes and lips. "I guess I won't be a Valkyrie any more?" she asked Chibi-Hild with a cracking voice.

Chibi-Hild shrugged softly, allowing her shoulder to run gently up Skuld's trunk. "I wouldn't know, I don't make those decisions, but I would assume you wouldn't want to continue hanging out where the residents want to kill you," she mused. "It might be bad for your health," she continued.

Skuld grunted in agreement as she began the process of walking. Chibi-Hild kept pace with her as the pair made their way to the heavy door way. Skuld began to reach for the door but Chibi-Hild interrupted her with a squeeze of her arm around her waist. "I got this," the little Demon Queen spoke as she reached out and tendrils of black smoke lashed out from her finger tips. The smoke danced around the handle before coalescing into the shape of a hand and drawing the door back for the pair. The smoke faded without a trace of it ever being there.

"Cool," Skuld chuckled softly.

"It's handy," Chibi-Hild replied. The tiny Demoness grinned up wildly at Skuld as she waggled her eyebrows and grunted questioningly several times.

"Ugh," Skuld replied with a grimace. She shook her head in the negative as she stared down at Chibi-Hild.

\scenebreak

Urd huffed softly. She stood at the head of the dining room table, listening to the eerie silence of the kitchen. "Who can't cast spells or fly?" she asked aloud, piercing the emptiness, before pointing at herself with both thumbs. "This Goddess!" she continued to speak before reaching down to pick up a bowl she had been eating out of and carrying it to the sink.

The dishes clattered as she stacked them up. She stared down into the sink for several seconds before groaning. "Oh fine! I'll do them," she arched her back and groaned before grabbing some soap and activating the spout. "Dishes are boring, cleaning the house is boring, and not being invited to help Skuld is boring," she spat between clenched teeth.

Urd worked in relative silence as she soaped and lathered the different eating implements before rinsing them off and placing them on a towel next to the sink. "Where the hell is Keiichi?" she questioned before rolling her eyes. "School," she answered her self. The sound of footsteps caught her ears. "Sousuke!?" she hollered as she turned to face the hallway.

The cinnamon skinned Goddess waited patiently for an answer but when none came, she called out again. "Sousuke! Belldandy!" she waited several more seconds before sighing exasperatedly. "Monsters?" she proffered to no avail.

Urd scowled before reaching out slowly towards the cooking implements. She allowed her slender fingers to wrap around the handle of the largest butcher knife they had in their inventory. The long thick blade jutted out from her fist dangerously as she waved the weapon around several times in front of her. "I'm armed and I'm not afraid to poke you!" she threatened as menacingly as she could muster. "You better tell me who you are!"

"I'm your worse nightmare you shit talking, man stealing, whore," the feminine voice replied dangerously. The words reverberated throughout the house before a figure appeared in the doorway. The cat suit hugged the womans flesh tightly, shimmering softly, as she punched her fist into the open palm of her other hand. Her face was covered by a mask with two eye holes cut out.

"Who are you?" Urd questioned incredulously. She held up the blade and displayed it angrily. "Do you know who you just insulted? Also, I've never stolen someones man," she spat argumentatively. Urd leaned her head back and reached up with her free hand, she gripped her pony tail and span it around before pulling it up into a bun with one hand. "I'm going to slap the hell out of you," she threatened. "Who are you?"

"You stole Sousuke from me," the woman replied dangerously. "You aren't fit to clean, let alone challenge me in my suit," the woman replied with malice on her breath.

"Kaname Chidori?" Urd asked. Her voice cracked as she leaned forward to stare at the woman before her. "You crazy bitch, YOU left SOUSUKE!" Urd nearly shouted in reply as she gesticulated with her hands in the direction of the woman in front of her. "You better get out of here before my sister gets back and she chucks you out," she spat as she shook her head.

"If Sousuke had done what he promised, it would never have come to this," Kaname yelled back. She pivoted at the waist and slammed her fist into the wall with a foundation shaking crash. "This suit makes me faster, stronger, and more than a match for you!" she continued to speak. "I wouldn't have been kidnapped if it hadn't been for Sousuke," her voice echoed through the house as she shook. "Every thing is your fault and his fault," she continued to fluster.

Urd stared at the masked figure of Kaname. She scowled as she attempted to discern the unreasonable womans logic. "So what do you want from us?" she demanded to know.

"I want you to die," Kaname replied as she lunged forward viciously. The augmentations from the suit increased her strength, stamina, and speed but it did nothing for her technique. Her initial attack was a hammer fist from high up. The movement was easy to anticipate and Urd ducked away as the counter behind her gave way under the explosive blow.

Urd didn't look back as she rushed past her attacker. She made it to the hallway, surged forward to the phone, and yanked up the receiver. She began dialing numbers but lost her grip on the phone as Kaname kicked her away from the device.

"Oh no, bitch!" Kaname shouted. She pointed at the eschewed telephone before pointing at Urd. "I know that you and your freakish little friends can use that thing to move all over the planet. Not going to happen," she spat before hefting her leg up and smashing her foot down on the receiver.

Urd rolled with the blow, allowed her body to slide on the floor, and settled against the wall. The Goddess held her hand against her arm, grit her teeth, and hissed between her lips as her eyes filled with tears. "You broke my arm," Urd groaned.

"Good," Kaname replied icily. "Next, I am going to cut your heart out," she continued to speak before reaching up to remove her mask. Her finger tips gripped the fabric and pinched before she yanked upwards and freed her hair. "I hate you," she breathed as her eyes flashed wildly.

"The feeling is mutual," Urd replied. She kicked her legs out to press her self against the wall. "I don't know what we did to deserve this," Urd began to speak. Her voice trailed off as Kaname began to approach her. "Get back," Urd commanded. She gambled and held up her good arm to point her fingers at Kaname. "I will cast a spell on you," she spoke as calmly as she could.

Kaname scowled and paused. She seemed to be sizing Urd up before launching herself forward to straddle the Goddess. She grabbed Urd's arm, twisted it to the side over her own neck, and pressed down. Urd was pinned awkwardly to the ground. Her breath was ragged as the awkward position and weight of Kaname began to choke off her ability to inhale or exhale.

"Please," Urd choked out as she pressed against the wall with her free hand. She struggled to free herself from the death grip that Kaname held her in. "I'm pregnant," she tried to plead.

Kaname leaned down slowly until her face was close enough to Urd that her breath surged over her skin. "I know, you filthy whore," she whispered softly. Her mouth split into a devilish grin that spanned from ear to ear as her pink tongue flickered out to wet her parched lips. "You deserve this," she continued to speak as she reached behind her back to her waist and released the cinch on the knife she wore. She drew the blade up slowly before rotating it in her hand and drawing her fist back in order to strike.

Urd felt a wet and sticky spray of fluid wash over her face. She had clenched her eyes shut, but she opened them at once. She felt the tremendous pressure Kaname had placed on her body release as she watched her body splay out upon the floor. Kaname slid across the floor towards the opposite end of the hallway, her head neatly caved in. Urd gasped.

"Get away from my sister!" Skuld cried out. She gripped the handle of her mallet tightly in her balled fists. She raised the weapon cautiously as she placed herself between Urd and the twisted and battered Kaname. "Don't you EVER threaten my family!" she continued to shriek.

"Skuld?" Urd questioned. She allowed her eyes to flicker back and forth between her sister and the profusely bleeding skull of her would be killer. "How did you get here?" she asked.

"Oh! Oh! I can answer this one!" the giddy voice of Chibi-Hild echoed off the walls shrilly as she bounced into view from the kitchen. The tiny demoness held a bowl of cereal in one hand and a spoon in the other. "Skuld and I just got here, lucky for you, and Skuld handled this mess," the demoness explained as she jammed a spoon full of cereal into her mouth. She turned and approached the broken body of Kaname before eye balling her carefully. "Gross," she opined as she nudged her shoulder with her toe.

Skuld approached the body as well. She strode purposefully as she lifted her mallet up over her head. Her knuckles grew white as she squeezed the handle of the weapon as hard as she could. The little Goddess scowled deeply as her breath grew ragged. "Piss OFF," she shouted as she brought the heavy head of the mallet down forcefully onto her targets head.

Chibi-Hild shied away from the gore with a shout as she twisted her body and held her bowl and spoon up over her head. "Gross!" she cried out as blood and brain matter splattered across the room. "A warning would be nice!" she exclaimed as she shot a dirty look at Skuld.

Urd pulled herself up into a sitting position. Her arm dangled down the front of her body, and she clutched it with her other hand in order to keep it still. She didn't speak as her eyes danced back and forth between her sister and the diminutive incarnation of her mother.

"There, I did it right," Skuld growled between grit teeth. She hefted the hammer with a squelch as it broke suction between the floor and the woman. "No mercy," Skuld breathed.

"Who are you and what did you do with my Skuld?" Urd finally asked. She stared nervously between the pair. She grimaced as she released her arm and began to rub her stomach. "Oh God," Urd groaned as she buckled forward in pain. She began to press with her finger tips against her pelvic area as she clenched her eyes shut.

"Are you all right?" Skuld inquired slowly. She tossed the mallet to the side with a clatter. The weapon produced a ringing noise and it left a deep gouge in the hard wood floors of the temple they called home. "What do I do?" she asked as she held up her hands and began to approach Urd slowly.

"Help me stand," Urd pleaded as she held out her good hand. She bit down on her own lip until it began to bleed as she grasped at the air ineffectually.

Skuld rushed to her sister without hesitation. She knelt and placed her shoulder up under Urd's good arm before twisting and lifting. She brought Urd to her feet in a single smooth motion, balancing her on the fulcrum she created with her own body. "Now what?" she asked as she leaned forward to stare at the pained expression on her face.

Chibi-Hild knelt down and placed her bowl and spoon on top of Kaname's still warm corpse. She then stood, pivoted, and rushed to the kitchen. "Bring her in here," she commanded as she waved her arm over her head in a beckoning motion.

"Coming," Skuld replied as she wrapped her arm around Urd's waist and began to lead her into the kitchen. "Just relax," she tried to assure Urd as she craned her neck to look into her eyes. The pair stumbled into the kitchen where Chibi-Hild stood next to the kitchen table.

"Here," the little Demoness commanded as she pointed at the table.

Urd gripped her stomach with her free hand as she pivoted to lean her butt against the table. "This isn't good," she choked out as Skuld helped heft her up onto the table. She scooted backwards until her heels rested on the table and she lay back fully. "This isn't comfortable either," she complained with a huff as she rested both of her hands on her stomach and massaged methodically.

"Ready for it to get worse?" Chibi-Hild questioned. She grinned mischievously before raising her eye brows high and flashing her sharp canines. "I called your mother," she explained before slapping herself on the forehead. "I mean, me, but big me," she replied with a flustered tone before clapping her hands and leaning forward. "Fun!" she exclaimed.

"Oh no," Urd groaned as she clamped her eyes shut. She inhaled sharply as her eyes grew wide. "Skuld, help me out of these," she begged as she clawed at her pants waist with her finger tips.

"Ok," Skuld replied warily before approaching Urd and gripping the waist of the pants. She began to tug on them but stopped the moment Urd grimaced. "How do I?" she questioned falteringly before starting as Chibi-Hild crammed a pair of scissors into her hand.

"Cut them off dummy!" She cried out as she pointed at Urd.

Skuld nodded once before approaching Urd again and slipping the head of the scissors into the space she made by pulling the waist line to the side. She slid the scissors down the length of her leg, cleanly slicing the fabric open. She repeated the motion on the opposite side and peeled the clothing away. She allowed her vision to wander upwards as she tried to pointedly not stare between her legs.

"Humiliating!" Urd cried out as she buckled upwards. "Don't look," she demanded.

"I'm not!" Skuld yelled back. She looked down at the scissors in her hand before turning towards the counter and tossing them into the sink. "Now what?" she asked as she turned towards Chibi-Hild.

"Cover your ears," Chibi-Hild replied calmly as she placed her hands over her ears. She grinned wider.

"Oh God," Urd groaned as she placed her fingers in her ears.

Skuld followed suit just as Hild, Marller, and Sousuke burst through the aether into the room. The window in the kitchen shattered outwards as a purple haze of energy filled the entire room. "Urd!" Hild proper cried out.

Chibi-Hild tossed a peace sign up before allowing herself to dissolve into a floating wisp of energy that was quickly absorbed by Hild.

"Urd," Sousuke spoke as he rushed to her side. He slipped his fingers between hers as he extended his arm to allow her to rest her head on his bicep. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Ugh!" she groaned as she turned her head away from him. She didn't have the stomach to face him.

"Does Sousuke know?" Skuld asked nervously to Marller as she moved back and away from the action.

"No," Marller replied quickly. She began to busy herself warming water before pointing at Skuld. "Go get us towels."

"Right," Skuld replied as she turned to the door and rushed into the hallway. She felt nauseous as she hopped over the bloody corpse of Kaname. "Oh man," she grumbled as she acquired the towels and repeated her actions on the way back.

"Oh sweet child," Hild spoke excitedly as she stood in front of Urd. "Just push and breath," she spoke encouragingly and softly as she placed her hands on her knees and helped spread her thighs. "It's going to be all right," she continued to speak softly.

Urd began to scream as she grunted and pushed. She cried out as Hild leaned forward to place her hands down low and helped her expel the egg. The small egg was covered in blood and sputum that Hild immediately removed using a warm wet towel. She cradled the tiny egg softly in her hands before moving towards a now reclining Urd who was breathing hard.

"Sousuke," Urd groaned through a weak smile. "We did it," she spoke before grimacing as she looked down at her arm. It was swollen and purple.

"What happened?" Sousuke asked cautiously as he reached out to run his finger down her injured arm. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I killed Kaname," Skuld spoke up from the corner of the kitchen. "I did it to protect Urd,"

Sousuke grunted a confused chuckle before bringing his gaze back from Skuld to Urd. "No, really," Sousuke spoke.

"She tried to kill me," Urd spoke cautiously. "She is in the hallway," Urd continued through grit teeth.

Marller grimaced before reaching into her pants pocket. She withdrew a small bag that she unlatched and reached into. She located a small glass vial of red viscous liquid and approached Urd to proffer it to her. "Want this?" she asked.

Urd hesitated before growling deeply. "Fuck it," she exclaimed as she opened her mouth and allowed Marller to pour the fluid down her throat. She sighed contently after a few moments as the liquid healed her.

"What is that?" Sousuke questioned. He seemed in shock over the entire business.

"Human blood mixed with herbs," Marller replied. "It's a fast method to heal an injured demon and completely safe," she explained. "Free range, all natural, and cruelty free. We only gather our blood from blood banks," she explained.

Urd winced at the word demon but remained silent. She leaned back onto the table and waited for the concoction to finish healing her completely. "Thank you," she sighed as she allowed her eyes to close.

Hild continued to cradle the egg close to her chest as she stared down at it affectionately. "Welcome to Earth," she spoke with a baby like coo as she bonded with the tiny spawn of her daughter. "Mother is here but she needs to rest, so you stay with Grandma right now," she spoke.

Sousuke moved away from Urd and turned towards the hallway. He took a deep breath before walking past a now staring Skuld and peeking into the hallway. He immediately spotted the broken corpse and the blood splattered blue hair of his previous flame.

The soldier leaned back into the kitchen and turned to look at Skuld with wide eyes. "What happened?" he asked her softly with a strange look on his face.

"I smashed her with my hammer," Skuld replied with a shrug. "She was trying to kill Urd," she offered.

Sousuke pursed his lips and nodded his head several times. He turned and made his way to Urd before grabbing a chair and sitting at the table to her side. He reached out and placed his hands on her before bowing his head and resting his cheek on her arm. "Are you safe?" he asked of her cautiously.

"I'm just recharging," Urd replied softly. She took a deep breath before lifting her hand up directly over her body. She snapped her fingers once before her clothing appeared on her body. She was completely clean and refreshed as though nothing had happened to her. "It's coming back," she stated as her lips curled into a smile.

Sousuke sighed contently. He had been more concerned about Urd than Kaname. He wasn't sure how to react as he stood and made his way around the table towards Hild. He leaned in close to her hands and looked down at the blue speckled egg that she clutched daintily. "It's so small," he whispered.

"She is going to get bigger before she hatches. The egg usually expands several times before the little nymph claws her way out," Hild explained happily. "Urd was huge though when she was born," she continued as she reminisced about days gone past.

"I can't imagine that Urd was once a little egg," Sousuke spoke as he turned to look at his still lounging girlfriend. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable in a bed or on a couch?" he wondered aloud as he allowed his gaze to wander back and forth between Urd and the egg.

"Yes," Urd replied. She began to sit up and smiled wide as Sousuke rushed forward to assist her. He held her hand as he helped lift her with his arm. "Thanks," she smiled as she stood shakily.

"I love you," Sousuke blurted out as he cupped her body close to his with his arm and did his best to keep her safe.

"I love you too," Urd replied. She took several deep breathes before standing up straight. She reached out with her hands and accepted the egg from Hild wordlessly. The cinnamon skin Goddess clutched the egg to her chest before raising it to rub it against her cheek. "Hello," she whispered as tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm your mother," she continued.

Sousuke smiled and leaned forward to kiss the egg. He spoke to it as well. "I'm your father," he spoke uneasily. The words seemed strange on his lips. "Welcome to our family," he added quickly.

Hild beamed as she clasped her hands together. She couldn't keep her eyes off of them as she practically shook with excitement. "So wonderful!" she exclaimed as she smiled at the pair. "Will I have your permission to see the child sometimes?" she asked timidly.

"Of course," Sousuke replied before pausing and looking at Urd. "It would be all right, yes?" he asked her.

Urd turned her attention on Hild fully. The pair stared into each others eyes for several seconds before she finally relented and nodded her head once. "Thank you for coming today," she spoke slowly and deliberately. She felt distinctly uncomfortable as she communicated with Hild humanely.

Hild looked absolutely overjoyed. She grinned wide as she began to extend her arms out towards Urd but she paused before thinking better of pushing her luck. "I am so thankful that you two are willing to let me into your life," she spoke quickly before casting a beaming look on Sousuke. "Thank you Sousuke," she spoke as her face fell and she turned to look out the kitchen window.

"What is wrong?" Marller asked rapidly as she began to sniff the air repetitiously. "What is that?" she questioned as she grew restless. The Demoness moved towards Hild and stood behind her protectively as she began to survey the room.

Urd answered tensely. "Valkyries," she spoke angrily. "Stay close to me," she commanded to Sousuke as he stood and began to look about the room. "We have lots of company," she continued.

"Marller," Hild spoke calmly as she began to remove her ear rings. "I need you to protect Skuld at all costs," she demanded with a definite finality. She also removed her bracelets, a necklace, and several rings.

Marller did not need to reply to demonstrate her understanding of her orders. She drew her shirt up with her right hand as she reached into her waist band and withdrew a small black dagger from a leather holster. She rotated the blade into a downward grip before making her way to stand well within Skuld's personal space.

Skuld glanced at Marller nervously before shooting her gaze towards Sousuke. "What the heck is happening?" she questioned nervously as she began to flicker her attention between the faces of each of the Demons in the room.

An enormous explosion of energy shook the house to the foundation in rapid succession as Valkyrie after Valkyrie began to appear in the yard just outside the window of the kitchen. Each figure that appeared left an indention in the ground as they exploded into existence on the physical plane.

"What do they want?" Skuld questioned as she strained to level her gaze past Marller.

"Well, we have a dead girl in the next room over, and two Goddesses who have broken one of the most important covenants of our people," Marller replied sarcastically. "I assume they are coming to deliver cookies."

Skuld scowled in reply as she held her tongue.

"We should ask Belldandy," Urd spoke up as she drew herself up to her full height. She tried to look as intimidating as possible as she flexed her fists rhythmically. "She is outside."

Sousuke seethed. He felt a strange sense of betrayal as he began to peruse the armor clad faces of those who had declared themselves enemies of his family. He had no idea why they were there, but their intrusion was grating on his nerves. He had no words for the emotions he was feeling.

"Shall we?" Hild questioned as she slowly raised her left hand before drawing it to the side. The shattered window and the wall that contained it faded from vision revealing a perfect path to the back yard. She drew her lips up into a sickly sweet smile before making her way towards the group of waiting Valkyries.

"Be careful," Urd piped up. She was allowing her eyes to dart back and forth until they fell on an empty space between two Valkyries. Her eyes drew into slits as she scowled. She placed the egg safely between her breasts as she followed Hild out into the yard.

"Greetings! We aren't buying," Hild exclaimed playfully as she waved at the silent mass of Valkyries. "No solicitors," she continued to joke as she placed her hands on her hips and allowed her vision to flicker from face to face within the crowd. None of the women stirred.

"Urd," the voice of Belldandy filled the air with a heavy weight as the Goddess appeared between two other Valkyries. "They," she hesitated for a moment before continuing, "We are here to take you back to Heaven for an investigation. Skuld is going to need to come too," she explained.

"What kind of investigation?" Urd questioned defensively. Her voice quivered for a moment as she drew a nervous breath between words. "We didn't do any thing," she blurted out before kicking herself. She steeled her nerves in order to keep from shooting a frightened glance back in the direction of the house where she knew Kaname still lay.

Belldandy returned a confused look as she cocked her head slightly. "Is something wrong Urd, you look nervous," she questioned slowly. "Did something happen?" She faltered for a moment before a brief look of joy flashed across her features. "Did you," she allowed the words to hang in the air as she clasped her hands in front of her own stomach.

Urd began to nod before Skuld interrupted her. "I admit it!" she cried out. "I killed her, but I only did it to protect Urd!" she rushed forward to place her body between Urd and Belldandy. "I did it, so don't blame Urd." she began to babble as she spoke with tears dripping down her face.

"What are you talking about?" Belldandy began to question. Her voice cut off as she and the Valkyries placed their attention on the home as a shrill shriek echoed out of the home. Keiichi had returned and discovered the body in the home.

"Belldandy! Sousuke! Someone!" he cried out as he rushed his way into the kitchen. He appeared stricken as he fixated on Belldandy. "There, there, there is a body in the hallway!" he cried out as he pointed in the direction of the home. He was shaking.

"Shit," Sousuke sighed as he placed a hand over his own face. He shifted his weight uncomfortably from foot to foot as he began to try to think of a way to keep the situation from getting any worse. He could feel numerous eyes holding him in their gaze. He took a deep breath before dropping the hand on his face and gesturing to the house. "I did it," he claimed.

Belldandy scowled as Skuld turned to stare at him incredulously. "Is this true Mr. Sousuke?" Belldandy questioned him. She inched towards him as she held her right hand out at her side. "We have a duty to punish the wicked," she continued to speak.

"Yes ma'am!" Sousuke replied as he snapped to attention. "I am a bad person and Skuld had absolutely nothing to do with anything I did," he continued as his face broke out into a grin.

Belldandy summoned her weapon and lunged at Sousuke faster than he could see. He didn't register what she had done until he realized he was staring at the sharp point of a halberd blade. He felt his shoulders jerk backwards involuntarily as his eyes bounced from the blade, to her elbow, and finally to her eyes. She had fully intended to end his life in that moment, he was convinced of it.

Urd grunted softly as her claw like finger tips flexed in her left hand. Her tendons in her arm and hand swelled as she began to bend her elbow. The force bent the blade until it created a shape like the letter 'L'. "No," she spoke calmly. A moment later, the air that had been dispersed by their movement rushed back into place with a crack and a blast that nearly sprawled the bystanders to the floor.

"Urd," Belldandy spoke her name like a curse word as she jerked the now ruined blade of the halberd out of her hand and away from Sousuke. "You don't make these decisions and neither does your mother," she continued as her tone dripped acid at the mention of Urd's mother.

"Correction, I carry a majority rule on Earth," Hild offered with a friendly tone that hid her potentially violent retort. "I carry a greater authority than the Valkyries on this realm," she continued to explain as though speaking to a child. After a few moments she allowed her eyes to close to slits as she drew her lips into a thin smile and cocked her head playfully.

Belldandy did not reply as she banished her weapon into the aether with a gentle toss. "You will be standing trial as well Skuld," Belldandy finally spoke as she turned to face the tiny Goddess.

"Skuld isn't going to Heaven," Hild and Urd spoke in unison. The pair froze and shared a look before Urd bashfully tilted her gaze in any direction that didn't include Hild.

Hild cleared her throat before gesturing towards Skuld. "The Valkyries attempted to assassinate Skuld and you expect that she will receive a fair trial after she defended the life of her sister?" The Queen of Hell scoffed as she lifted her hand to her lips and laughed lightly into the back of her fist. "There is no way," Hild continued.

"As long as Skuld is a Goddess, she has no choice," Belldandy replied. "No Goddess can refuse a summons," she continued to speak exasperatedly.

"Skuld, you need to make a choice," Hild replied as she turned her back on Belldandy. The Demon Queen approached Skuld and spoke gently. "If you return to Heaven, they will kill you. Then they will come back to Earth and kill your little friend Shinji. Do you understand?" Hild asked.

"I do," Skuld replied shakily. She began to cry as she hugged herself and sobbed. "I messed up," she gurgled as she allowed her vision to drop shamefully to the floor.

"No child, you protected your sister," Hild replied with a gentle shake. "You have to finish what you started," she spoke.

Urd drew a deep and sharp breath as she realized what she was witnessing. She remained silent as she had no alternative to offer up. "Oh Skuld," she groaned out as she began to cry as well. "Please Hild, isn't there another way?" Urd faltered as the fire in her eyes began to fade.

"You decide," was the only reply Hild could muster as she turned to face Skuld. "You know what needs to be done," she continued to speak gently with a supportive smile on her face.

"I renounce my status as a Goddess and my Heaven citizenship," Skuld blurted out as she whirled on Belldandy. "I give it all up," she continued to speak as she dropped to her knees and began to sob. She covered her face with her hands as she broke down entirely.

"Skuld," Belldandy gasped. Her shoulders shook too. "Why would you do this?" she exclaimed as she began to look about amongst the other Valkyries.

Any answer failed to come as Skuld rocked back onto her heels and allowed her hands to drop to her side. Her forehead glowed bright white for several seconds, hiding her face until the point of light faded and left her with no facial markings to denote her previous standing as a Goddess.

Sousuke felt his jaw drop as he looked about at the different Goddesses surrounding him. He struggled to find words as he felt the world spinning and he moved slowly towards Marller. "Is this another test?" he spoke quietly as he leaned towards her. "If this is some kind of imaginary dream, you need to end this," he demanded of her.

"This isn't a dream," Marller replied as she shook her head firmly. "This is real life," she assured him. "I really recommend you don't wander anywhere near them," she spoke as she jerked her chin towards Belldandy and the rest of the Valkyries. Her attention immediately landed on Hild as she held out her hand and gestured for her to approach.

Sousuke watched as Marller made her way to Hild, reached into her pocket and withdrew a small paper contract. "My lady," Marller spoke as she extended the roll of paper to Hild and released it into her hand. She then took several steps back.

"Child," Hild spoke before kneeling beside Skuld. "You need to sign your name here to became a citizen of Hell," her voice filled the air as she gestured towards the parchment with her other hand.

Skuld wiped at her eyes before extending her hands to take the paper. She continued to cry but managed to roll out the paper. She read it, looked at Hild once, and then bit her own finger with enough force to draw blood. She used her finger tip like a pen and signed her name on the paper.

Urd drew a deep breath in before turning to scowl at Belldandy. "This is your fault," she spat angrily.

"My fault?" Belldandy shrieked indignantly. Her normal stoic demeanor faded as she watched her youngest sister become a citizen of Hell. "YOU are the one who decided to flaunt the covenant, mate with some animal, and get your baby sister involved in something she could never understand!" she shook as she gestured with her hands wildly in the direction of Skuld.

Sousuke began to speak but remained silent when he noticed that Marller was shaking her head in the negative as she stared at him. The atmosphere was growing tense as each of the Goddesses began to square off. He immediately noticed Hild flexing her finger tips in a manner similar to how Urd would when she was agitated. The pair shared many idiosyncrasies that Sousuke picked up on the more he noticed the two around each other.

"You will have to come too Urd," a voice spoke from amongst the crowd of Valkyries. A stirring in the group occurred as Lind removed her helmet and approached the group. "It is obvious that an investigation still needs to be completed and without Skuld, we will need you," she spoke easily as her piercing gaze fell on Sousuke. Her lip curled into a scathing smirk.

"Not happening," Sousuke replied coldly as his body language subconsciously changed to indicate his defiance. He placed his hands on his hips and flexed the muscles in his chest as he scowled back.

Urd took a deep breath before drawing herself up to full height. She extended her chest out and smiled wide as she lifted her left hand up and extended it flippantly towards Hild. "May I have my documentation," she replied coolly.

Marller rolled her eyes softly before reaching into her pocket and withdrawing another tightly wound scroll of paper. She reached out and handed it to Hild who daisy chained the pass to Urd.

"You have a special circumstance," Hild began to speak but fell silent as Urd waved her off with her right hand.

"I will not leave Skuld to this alone," Urd spat haughtily as she shook her wrist firmly one time. The scroll unwound quickly at her ministrations allowing her to lift it up so it was a barrier between herself and the Valkyries. She hid herself behind the parchment as she perused it quickly through tear filled eyes she concealed from Belldandy.

"Urd," Sousuke spoke softly as he approached her. He reached out to place a hand on her but she didn't react to his touch. "I'm sorry," he whispered to her.

Urd flourished her free hand and an ornate pen appeared between her fingers. The feathery quill glowed bright red briefly before she began to write on the parchment. She signed her name quickly before tossing the scroll upwards into the air where it vanished in a puff of acrid smoke.

"I can't believe you!" Belldandy cried out angrily. "Both of you are fools!" she continued to scream as she placed her palms over her eyes.

"Time to leave," Hild spoke softly as she pointed at the Valkyries. "You too," she left no room for interpretation as she shooed Belldandy with her hand.

"This is my home!" Belldandy replied indignantly as she gestured toward Keiichi. "Not theirs," she growled in a very uncharacteristic way.

"It's fine, we can find a place," Urd spoke flippantly as she waved Belldandy off. "I think this house is a little too small any ways," she shrugged with a smile. "I think we should move out," her voice cracked and she turned away to face Sousuke.

"I know where we can stay tonight," Sousuke assured her as he reached out and grabbed Urd's hand. "I will take care of every thing," he assured her. "You too," he spoke as he motioned for the still shell shocked Skuld to approach. "Let's go," he finished.


	12. Ah! A Goddess Has A New Bed!?

"What are we going to do?" Urd questioned Sousuke desperately. Her entire body shook as she leaned back against the Charger. She sniffled several times as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "We don't have a place to stay," she spoke aloud to him.

Sousuke stood directly in front of her with his arms crossed. He shifted his weight back and forth on his feet as he fell into deep thought. He had a strong desire to reach out and comfort Urd but he knew that he had no comfort to give in this moment. He stared at her as he struggled to quell the tempest of emotions he felt stirring inside himself. After several moments of watching her he turned his head to gaze at Skuld.

Skuld stood with a shell shocked look on her face. She grasped herself in her own arms and faced towards the house. She seemed to be unable to tear herself away from staring at the large temple they once called home. She neither spoke nor gave any indication she was listening as Marller tried to comfort her with reassuring words.

"Well?" Urd interrupted Sousuke's thoughts.

"Negative copy," Sousuke replied as he turned his head back to face Urd. He motioned with his hand for her to repeat herself as he returned his attention to her.

"I said," Urd grumbled as she squinted at the soldier. "I said that we should rent a hotel," she replied as she leaned up and off the car and motioned to the door. "We should probably go now. Good a time as any. Right?" she questioned him as she reached up to draw her fingers against the egg still tucked between her breasts.

"Stand by," Sousuke replied as he reached into his pocket and withdrew his home made telephone. He twisted knobs and activated the device. A gentle ringing echoed out over the yard for several seconds before a voice answered. "Go," the voice spoke.

"Lodging. Three." Sousuke spoke into the microphone.

"Confirmation number," the voice replied.

"Sagara 6302," Sousuke replied calmly.

"Bad copy," the voice replied. There was a pause before the voice returned again. "Disregard. Override authorized. Revocation of privileges has been superseded. Full authorization," the voice explained calmly.

"Billets for three, Nekomi Institue of Japan, condition yellow," Sousuke spoke rapidly as he finally gave in to his impulses and reached out to gently stroke Urd on the shoulder. He allowed his hand to rise to her cheek and he cupped her face gently in his palm before removing his hand.

"Rental home has been prepared. Secure channel for address," the voice spoke calmly.

Sousuke reached into his pocket and withdrew a pen and a small scrap of paper. "Go ahead, channel secure," Sousuke replied as he approached the hood of the Charger and prepared to scribble.

"12 Akuma, Building 9, Chiba Prefecture," the voice finished before disconnecting the call. A loud click rang out and Sousuke deactivated the device and returned it to his pocket.

"You people are so weird," Urd rolled her eyes incredulously as she watched Sousuke. "It just sounds like two birds parroting things they heard at each other," she continued as she shook her head in his direction.

Sousuke grinned at her before lifting the paper and shaking it in the air. "Polly wants a cracker," he replied as he laughed at his own joke.

Urd ignored him pointedly.

"Skuld," Sousuke called out. She didn't reply or give any indication she heard him. He waited several seconds before continuing to speak. "We are going to take our leave to a home I have prepared for our use. You need to come with us," Sousuke explained calmly.

Marller sighed as she flickered her attention from Skuld to Sousuke and back again. "She is a tough girl, she will survive this," she spoke to Sousuke before leaning towards Skuld. "You know, I AM a Demon and being a citizen of Hell isn't bad at all. I actually like it," she continued as she gestured back at Urd. "Even your sister is one of us."

Skuld looked back at Urd and grimaced before staring straight ahead. "Urd hates Hell," she finally spoke.

"I don't HATE it," Urd replied shakily. "Sure, I might not have ever said any thing nice about it, but it wasn't because I hated the place," Urd continued to explain. She shot an imploring look in the direction of Marller.

"There isn't anything wrong with Hell. Urd just had a bad case of low self esteem," Marller nodded her head before grimacing under the withering gaze of Urd.

Skuld sighed, turned on her heels, and stomped towards the Charger. She reached out and pulled the handle to the rear door. The door didn't budge. She whirled around to scowl at Sousuke.

Sousuke reached in his pocket, withdrew the keys, and pressed the button on the fob to unlock the doors. He motioned towards the vehicle with his hand as the head lights flashed and the horn honked in alert.

Skuld huffed and rolled her eyes before turning back around, opening the vehicle, and climbing into the back seat. She shut the door and stared into the back of the front seat with a vacant glare.

Sousuke turned to face Urd and Marller again. "Do you think it is safe for Hild to be in there alone?" he questioned softly.

Urd rolled her eyes in reply as she shook her head. "She likes to pretend that she is vulnerable in front of you, but she is more powerful than every Valkyrie in there combined. Well, I guess we don't know yet exactly how strong Bell is," her voice trailed off as she turned to face the oddly peaceful temple.

Marller ran her fingers through her hair nervously as she turned to face the temple as well. "She isn't invulnerable," Marller spoke up. "You cut her the deepest you know," she spoke with an acidic tone as she held her gaze pointedly away from Urd.

"Me?" Urd questioned incredulously.

"Yes, you," Marller replied angrily. She turned at the waist and approached Urd. "Don't you understand that she loves you and every time you push her away, it hurts her?" she queried her seriously.

"Nothing hurts Hild. Right?" Urd felt sick as she pawed at her eyes. "This is too much all right?" she yelped as she turned away from Marller, approached the Charger, and clambered into the front passenger seat. She shut the door as well.

Sousuke sighed as he clutched the keys in his fist. He approached Marller and jerked his chin at the temple. "What happens next?"

Marller turned to face an empty spot next to Sousuke and bowed softly. A few moments later, Hild appeared with an easy grin on her face.

"Well, Belldandy gets the house but Skuld and Urd get their things. The body of the young woman was kept by the Valkyries for 'evidential' purposes," Hild spoke with a disinterested bent to her voice. "Would you like to stay with me?" Hild asked hopefully.

"I found us a place," Sousuke replied. He almost felt guilty snatching away Hild's chance to have Urd under her roof again. "I hope you don't mind," he offered lamely.

"No, I understand," Hild waved him off with her open palm. "It's good to know you are taking care of Urd," she smiled at him. "I think you are going to have your hands full. New job, upset girlfriend, and a very moody young woman. I don't envy you," Hild sighed wistfully as she turned to look at the vehicle and it's occupants.

"I'll do what ever it takes to protect Urd," Sousuke spoke calmly. He wanted to reassure himself as much as he wanted to garner Hild's approval. "Anything," he assured aloud.

Hild nodded before crossing her arms under her bosom. "I will have their affects delivered to your new abode," she replied.

"Do you need the address?" Sousuke queried.

Hild replied with a smirk. "Their things are waiting for you already," she chuckled before waving towards the car. A moment later she vanished in a soft flash of purple light.

"See ya at work," Marller spoke to him before she too vanished.

Sousuke inhaled deeply before turning and making his way to the car.

\scenebreak

Athena brushed her hair slowly with a purposeful disinterest in the world around her. She pointedly ignored the approaching Giant she knew as her captor. She could feel his imposing presence within her personal space, but she said nothing.

"The human," Pallas spoke gruffly.

"Is dead," Athena replied calmly. She left no emotion in her voice. She wanted to mourn but could not risk a display of weakness. She was unsure of how Pallas would take this loss. A blow to his plans could leave him violently unstable.

"I underestimated my enemy," Pallas continued. His admission was not lost on Athena. "I believe I will be forced to act myself," he continued to speak to her back. He was unperturbed by her refusal to face him. "You were fond of this one," he stated without emotion.

"Some," Athena confirmed as she nodded her head. She steeled herself before standing and turning to face him. She placed her brush down and cupped her own cheek with her left hand as she supported her elbow with her right palm. "What else can I do to serve you," she recoiled inside as she fought to placate the beast she hated with every fiber in her body.

"Simply continue to suffer," Pallas replied with a smirk as he turned his back on her. He began to laugh. His deep voice echoing off of the walls before he vanished from the room.

Athena waited several seconds. Her body poised perfectly until she was sure she was alone. She screamed a shrill sound that filled the room with anguish before reaching down, snatching up her brush, and hurling it across the room. The wood implement splintered as it exploded against the wall. The bits and pieces rained down on the spot that Kaname had always enjoyed sleeping in.

\scenebreak

Lind knelt beside the broken body that once was the Earthly vessel for Kaname Chidori. She reached down and gripped her shirt before pulling hard towards herself. The cloth held and the limp carcass was straightened out upon the floor. She looked up at Belldandy.

"I have trouble admitting that Skuld could be responsible for this act of violence," Belldandy spoke as she stood in the hallway. She placed her open palms on her hips and gazed down on the grisly scene. "She is just a little girl," she continued.

Lind rolled her eyes and scowled before heaving a heavy sigh. "She is an animal much like the sister you two share," her voice was heavy with resentment. "I can't believe you gave yourself to the human," she continued to speak.

"That is none of your concern," Belldandy replied with a sharp snap. "I have spoken to the Valkyrie council and my transgressions have been forgiven in full," she continued as she rapidly regained her composure. Belldandy and Lind made eye contact and neither blinked until Lind looked away.

"Have you no love for our order?" Lind pressed. She drew her hands in an intricate shape of circles and crosses over the body of Kaname as she returned her attention to the corpse.

"What are you doing?" Belldandy questioned her. She ignored the needling inquiries about her loyalties. "What do you plan to do with this woman?" Belldandy continued to question. She approached the body and knelt as well.

"I will be taking her back to Heaven," Lind replied calmly.

"Her physical body?" Belldandy questioned her. Her voice cracked into a confused tone as she looked from the body to Lind and back again. "For what purpose would the Valkyries take the body of a fallen human?" she inquired.

"That is not your concern," Lind stated flatly. She used the back of her hand to wipe her hair at her forehead line before drawing her arm upwards until she had wiped her brow with her forearm. "The only thing you need know is that I will be taking her with me when I leave," she spoke with finality.

"Why do you question my dedication to our order?" Belldandy serenely inquired. She was gentle with her prodding but left no room for interpretation. "I want to know why you have grown hostile with me," she stated.

"Why?" Lind replied incredulously. She reached out and drew the arms of the body on the floor up and into a crossed position over the chest of the corpse. She then straightened the head until it was gazing upwards. The skull was malformed and the flesh twisted where Skuld had snuffed her out with prejudice.

Belldandy waited for her to continue patiently. She smiled serenely in her direction as she continued to watch the Valkyrie perform several preservation rites over the corpse.

"Listen, you were the best," Lind finally grunted through her teeth. "There was no one who could compete with you, but you flaunted our rules. Your entire family did. What does that look like to the rest of us?" she asked.

"I made a choice and I am willing to live with my actions," Belldandy replied. "If you must know, the council has blessed my decision as they believe that my special circumstances will be necessary in the coming years," Belldandy spoke. "I considered us friends Lind, do you hate me now?" her demeanor changed as she eyed Lind with a sad gaze.

"Of course not," Lind sighed. She finished with the body, stood, and clasped her hands in prayer.

Belldandy followed suite and the pair bowed their heads and closed their eyes.

"Lord, take this body unto your embrace and bring her into your home," Lind incanted as a bright flash of light encompassed the corpse of Kaname.

"Amen," the pair sermonized in unison.

The body vanished in a flash and where once was gore and damage was now clean and sparkling. "It is done," Lind sighed before facing Belldandy. "No one hates you, but you did something none of us understand," she gestured towards Belldandy and her arms. "I'm not going to beat around the bush, are you ready for the real consequences?"

"What do you mean?" Belldandy asked her with a calm tenor in her voice that masked any emotions she may really be feeling.

"We both know that Valkyrie Antoinette wasn't an instructor. She was in your class," Lind offered.

"Are you implying?" Belldandy left the words hanging in the air.

"There was an agreement that Skuld needed to be eliminated. How could you bring Hild onto our sacred grounds?" Lind spat.

Belldandy faltered for a moment but regained her composure nearly instantly. "I was assured that there was a misunderstanding by Antoinette," she offered with quickly diminishing confidence.

"Why Hild?" Lind questioned more forcefully.

"She was concerned," Belldandy replied slowly. "She came in her child form and I believe it was obvious she was no threat to our order. I explained myself to our superiors and there was no animosity," Belldandy spoke quickly. "Why do you believe Antoinette was going to harm Skuld?"

"I turned down the job," Lind replied before turning to face her back to Belldandy. "I couldn't do it," she stated firmly before vanishing.

"No," Belldandy shook her head. She sniffled several times as she wiped at her eyes with her finger tips. "It isn't true," she denied aloud before turning towards the kitchen. She approached the doorway and peered towards the kitchen table where Keiichi sat with his head supported by his hands.

"This isn't right," he spoke without looking up. "Why?" he continued to press.

"The Valkyries would never harm Urd or Skuld," Belldandy spoke to him calmly. "I can assure you Mr. Keiichi that this entire situation will be cleared in due time. I am sure of it," she nodded several times.

"It doesn't make sense," Keiichi stated before placing his hands down on the table and looking up at Belldandy. "I don't think you should go back to your Valkyrie people. They are going to do something bad," he offered tepidly.

"Mr. Keiichi! I can assure you that the Valkyries are firmly in the realm of the good!" Belldandy nearly exploded as she lurched forward into the room. She froze in her tracks as her charge winced at her outburst. "I'm sorry, but you will see, that all will be better soon," Belldandy continued as she held up her hands and approached Keiichi. She grabbed the back of a chair and drew it close to him before placing her arms around him as she sat beside him. "I love you Mr. Keiichi," she spoke delicately.

"I love you too Belldandy," Keiichi replied as he closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck.

\scenebreak

"We are here," Sousuke spoke softly as he pulled the lumbering Charger into the drive way of a nondescript home tucked away near Nekomi Institute. The building itself was the epitome of normal with a small fence, room for their single car out front, and a clone like visage of the two flanking homes. He turned in his seat to peer into the backseat where Skuld was currently sleeping.

"We are here," Urd confirmed with a pained expression on her face. She did not seem as pleased with the normal home as she was with her corner of the temple. "Thank you," she spoke with a pained echo that left little to the imagination. "I am sure we will love it here," she continued.

Sousuke fought back the urge to audibly sigh as another pang of guilt crashed in his chest. He reached out for Urd and paused for a moment. He could see her looking down at his out stretched hand and he wished with his entire being that he could read her mind.

"It's going to be fine," Urd spoke softly. She reached up with her hand and intertwined her fingers with his before squeezing encouragingly. "We should get inside and see what it is like," she stated.

Sousuke nodded and spread his fingers to detach from Urd and her grasp. He switched off the vehicle and unbuckled his belt before opening his door and looking out at the quiet neighborhood. "Looks like a nice enough place," he spoke as he closed the door softly.

Urd exited the vehicle and turned to the back seat. She shook her head as she peered in through the window at Skuld. "Well, should we leave her?" she asked playfully towards Sousuke.

"The key will be under the front floor mat," Sousuke stated in reply as he made his way to the side of the car, opened the back seat door, and reached in to scoop Skuld up. He cradled her close to his chest as she opened one eye, gazed out at her surroundings, and then cuddled in close to his neck before whispering something about broken flanges.

"I just had your egg and you are carrying her?" Urd questioned with mock indignation in her voice.

"Wait here. I will come back and carry you next," he replied in the hopes of placating her.

"Oh come on, I am just kidding," Urd sighed as she led the way to the front of the house. She snapped her fingers and the key tucked under the mat zipped to her hand. She ignored it and snapped again with her free hand and the door itself unlocked and moved out of the way instantly.

"I think there was some confusion," Sousuke chuckled as he crossed the threshold. Inside the living room were two crates. One crate had the words 'CHARGE DEMOLITION M112 - High Explosive' emblazoned on it in large black block lettering. The second, in similar regalia, had text that read 'Emergency Survival Kit'.

"They must have thought we might need toys for the baby," Urd stated calmly as she walked past the boxes. She reached between her breasts and withdrew the egg. She began to coo and speak to it as she began to explore the house.

Sousuke hefted Skuld and made his way in tow of Urd. He hoped the bedrooms were better equipped than the living room for two Goddesses. He was growing nervous that Hild hadn't delivered their things.

"This is for Skuld," Urd stated as she passed a closed door. She had simply pointed at it. "I can hear machinery inside," she continued. She snapped her fingers and the door opened. The room looked exactly like Skuld's had back at the temple.

Sousuke entered the room and lay Skuld down on her futon. He reached down and removed her shoes before looking to Urd. "Could you please?" he asked.

Urd chuckled and snapped her fingers. She had removed Skuld's clothing and placed her under the blanket with the spell. She then pointed down the hall.

"Us?" Sousuke asked as he stepped over several electronic devices that even he could not identify on his way out of the room. He entered the hallway and shut the door softly.

"Yes," Urd replied. She cradled the egg close to her side and pointed at Sousuke. Her eyes squinted as she grinned dangerously at him.

Sousuke felt his feet leave the floor as he was dragged through the air without his compulsion. He couldn't move his body but he was floating through the air behind Urd as she made her way towards the master bedroom. "What are you doing?" he asked her.

Urd stopped and considered him with narrowed eyes. She grinned devilishly at him before rotating around and raising her hand. She continued to drag him through the air wordlessly until she had brought him into the room fully. She crossed her arms and the door slammed shut violently.

"Urd," Sousuke asked cautiously as he eyed her. She was staring back impassively. "Are you all right?" he continued.

"What brings a mere mortal like you into my realm?" she asked him.

Sousuke tried to tilt his head as he shot her a curious gaze. He was still frozen in the air.

"You dare challenge the Princess of Hell?" she asked again. She bent at the waist slightly, covered her knees with her hands, and then slowly drew her body back to full height. Her clothing transfigured as she made the motion into a black and spike covered suit of material that seemed very much like leather. She snapped her fingers and Sousuke fell from his perch in the air onto his feet. He now wore an array of armor and other accoutrement similar to what he expected a knight in a movie might have.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Urd stated as she held up her hands. "Your safe word is banana split," she explained.

"Banana split?" Sousuke questioned her as he continued to look down at his clothing. His chest armor was emblazoned with a large red cross and he appeared to be dressed as some kind of Holy crusader.

"Yep," Urd nodded before her demeanor returned to a more predatory form. She grinned wildly as she removed the egg from between her breasts. She summoned a pillow, placed the egg on top, and then covered it with a lining of cloth she made appear before opening a drawer in a nearby nightstand and placing the egg inside. She then incanted a quick spell of protection over the night stand.

"Now then. Ele' dear, could you assist me with this terrible crusader for good?" she spoke aloud. She laughed maniacally as World of Elegance materialized into physical existence wearing no clothes. She snaked her way like a wisp from down low around Sousuke, behind him, and then intertwined her arms under his. She had him pinned in a headlock.

\scenebreak

Skuld awoke suddenly. She scrambled out of bed and looked about her room in a haze. She wondered where her clothes were as she looked down at her nude body. The tiny Goddess felt her mind bend as she realized that her room had a window that faced out towards the side of a home she had never seen before. Every item in the room appeared to have been placed almost precisely where it would have been back at the temple.

"What the hell?" Skuld questioned aloud as she snapped her fingers and found herself clothed and refreshed. She racked her mind as she attempted to remember exactly how she had found herself where she was. She remembered being assaulted by the Valkyrie, rescued, and then doing harm to Kaname Chidori. Her hand made its way to her forehead without thought. She began to rub where her facial markings no longer existed.

There was little to do but face the world. Skuld made her way to the door and reached for the handle. She paused, opened her fingers and thrust her palm towards the handle. A slow wispy energy slunk from her wrist, gripped the handle, and wobbled the handle until the door clicked and slid backwards towards herself. "Handy," she whispered to herself.

The home she was in was silent. She knew there was magic at work and she contemplated tearing down the wards and kicking her way into Sousuke and Urd's room. She wanted to yell, rage, and fight. She never knew she could be both restless as well as depressed at the same time. "What now?" she wondered as she faced away from the room down the hall and began to walk towards the living room.

"C-4," Skuld breathed as she sniffed the air. She approached the crate of explosives, eyed it for several seconds, and then allowed her attention to fall on the survival crate. She snapped her fingers and the walls of the crate fell away to reveal backpacks, water, and other sundries. She reached down and pressed her finger tips through the plastic covering the water bottles in order to extricate one for herself. She opened it and drank deeply before discarding the empty bottle on a nearby table.

Skuld entered the kitchen and began to rummage about as she contemplated calling Shinji. She felt the strength in her legs and arms drain every time she thought of him. She couldn't bear the thought of facing him as a failure. "Nope," she spoke aloud to herself as she squatted next to the refrigerator. She had opened one of the cabinets and was currently staring up towards a telephone she located attached to the side of the fridge.

Her ears perked and she realized quickly that Urd and Sousuke were stirring from their room. She could hear the door opening and the sound of foot steps. The person was trying to be quiet. She listened as the door to her room opened slowly and then closed.

Skuld closed the door to the cabinet and turned to face the door. She waited patiently until Sousuke filled the archway of the door. She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to blame him for ruining her life. She felt strange. She wanted to blame him for what she had done.

"Good morning," Sousuke spoke to her slowly. He seemed to be genuinely concerned about her. "Are you feeling better?" he asked softly. He yawned scratched at the scar on his face as he watched her.

Skuld felt her voice flee. She couldn't bring herself to reply. She stood in silence, staring at him. She was afraid that if she spoke she would say things she didn't really mean.

"I know that this is going to be weird, and I apologize for this," Sousuke spoke. He smelled like sex and nervousness to Skuld, she felt repugnance and he fell silent as her eyes narrowed.

Skuld ended the conversation by turning towards the counter, opening one of the higher cabinets and moving to her tip toes. She reached out for a box of cereal but stopped and dropped back to her feet. She sighed, snapped her fingers, and walked out of the room past Sousuke with the now flying box trailing behind her.

Sousuke moved to the side wordlessly as he watched her vanish back into her room. He felt a pang of guilt deep in his chest and wondered if he should initiate conversation again. He received his answer as her bedroom door slammed shut and glowed a bright orange for several seconds. She had cast some kind of spell on the door.

Urd exited their room and stomped angrily down the hall way. She held the egg in her left hand tucked close to her body. She waved her right hand rapidly towards the door and the orange glow returned before fading away. "Hey! Just because you are pissed off doesn't give you the right to booby trap your door!" Urd screamed out. "You could hurt Sousuke!"

"Urd, it's all right," Sousuke spoke to her as he raised his hands up and faced his palms toward her. He tried to placate her as she whirled to face him.

"This door could have blown off your hands if you had knocked!" Urd yelled angrily. "If she thinks being a demon is hard, let's see how she likes it when she has to be a demon with my foot hanging out of her ass!" Urd continued to scream.

"She is having a hard time right now," Sousuke spoke. He gestured for Urd to approach him with one hand as he pointed to the kitchen with the other. "Let's just sit down and have breakfast," she urged her.

"Ugh!" Urd growled. She stomped through the hall and past Sousuke in a huff. "I swear, you treat her too nice. Am I going to be the bad cop with our child?" she asked him through grit teeth.

"Yes," Sousuke stated as he nodded his head several times before allowing his chin to fall to his chest. He tried to look suitably abashed as he cracked a grin. "I make no promises as to my ability to reprimand our child," he stated before making his way to the refrigerator.

Urd rolled her eyes as she watched him open the door to the fridge. She shook her head several times before snapping her fingers once. The table was immediately set with an array of breakfast foods that included miso soup, assorted meats, and several types of juice. "Good?" she inquired.

"You are the best cook I have ever had the pleasure of knowing," Sousuke confirmed as he shut the door of the fridge and approached the table. "Should we invite Skuld?" he asked.

urd sighed before placing a single digit against her cheek. She concentrated for several seconds before nodding her head in the negative. "She would rather eat cereal alone," she spoke before sitting at the table.

"You can communicate telepathically?" Sousuke asked her with a hint of surprise.

"Sure, but this time I just made the decision for her," Urd cracked a grin as she grabbed a plate of bacon.

Sousuke chuckled as he began to eat as well. "No eggs?" he asked softly.

Urd replied by offering him their child playfully.

\scenebreak

Marller leaned her chin on the palm of her hand as she spoke casually with the group sitting around the large table with her. "I think he will be a bigger benefit to you all than you may think," she spoke.

"Is he cute?" a dark skin woman questioned.

"He is your Princesses future husband," a bald man with a lined face replied snappishly. "Can you not stop thinking about laying on your back Husna, for more than a minute?" he questioned her as he shook his head. He sighed.

"Just when I think about you," Husna replied cattily. She grinned a wide smile that made her immaculately white teeth stand out against her dark skin. "Are you threatened by the human?" she pressed. "Well, Walter?" she continued to ask.

"No," Walter grumbled. "Lay it on me Marller," the man spoke as he faced her. "Are we just going to be baby sitting this feller or is he the real deal?"

"He has plenty of confirmed kills and has been a soldier since he was a child," Marller offered in reply. She shrugged softly before pointing towards Husna. "He has scars and is really nice for also being a cold blooded killer. You will like him," she nodded as she spoke.

"Fun," Husna grinned. She reached up to adjust the circlet and chains that she wore over her close cropped hair. "I am really looking forward to meeting him," she spoke excitedly. "It's been a long time since I have smelled a human," she continued.

"Oh lord," Walter grumbled as he side eyed Husna. "I'll keep him out of trouble," the man spoke to Marller. He sighed deeply. "I feel like we are just doing the Queen a favor," he continued.

"Well, you are in a way, but I don't think it will be as bad as you think," Marller continued to explain. "That brings us to the real reason we needed to have this meeting in person," Marller fought back a grin as she spoke to the pair.

"Oh lord," Walter rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. "What now?" he asked.

"Someone is going to have to," Marller stopped mid sentence as Husna nearly tipped over her chair.

The dark skinned demoness raised her hand as she stood and placed the palm of her other hand out on the table. "Me! I'll do it! What ever it is!" she exclaimed animatedly.

"You don't even know what she needs!" Walter barked in frustration as he shook his head.

"Don't care. I'll do it!" she nearly shouted.

"I need someone to go with me to pick him up and bring him back to Hell for a tour of the main level, an introduction on how to get here, and other basics," Marller grinned as she stared at Husna. "They have to help him get his uniform as well," she continued.

"I can do it!" Husna seemed to be vibrating with excitement as she looked back and forth between Walter and Marller. "I haven't seen Earth proper since I died. Please let me go!" she pleaded with the pair as her eyes shined.

"You died in the year 710," Walter began to speak. He paused as the eager demoness interrupted him.

"706," she interjected.

"I died in 1994," he continued as he narrowed his eyes at her. He reveled in teasing her. "Don't you think it would be better if I went," he continued.

"No," Husna spoke adamantly. "I can do this. Please," she continued to beg.

"I don't know Marller, what do you think?" Walter spoke as he turned to face Marller. His face wrinkled into a smile.

"Sure, I am going too. I am fine with it," she finally replied.

"Fine, you can be on the welcome wagon girl," Walter grumbled. He shook his head and grinned a toothy smile that indented the lines in his face deeply. "But if you get your ass yanked up by the Princess, don't you come crying to me," he finalized.

"Absolutely," Husna replied as she nodded her head rapidly. "You won't hear a single complaint about me," she assured the pair as she grinned wildly. "But can we stop by and get lunch in the human realm?" she inquired softly.

"Oh hell," Walter sighed as Marller began to laugh.


End file.
